Interactive effects of source and recipient habitats on plant invasions: distribution of exotic species in Chile. Issue 6 (20th March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Casado, Miguel A.; Acosta‐Gallo, Belén; Sánchez‐Jardón, Laura; Martín‐Forés, Irene; Castro, Isabel; Ovalle, Carlos; del Pozo, Alejandro; de Miguel, José M.; Pysek, Petr
• Is Part Of: Diversity & distributions. Volume 21:Issue 6(2015:Jun.)
• Page Start: 609
• Page End: 619
• Publication Date: 2015-03-20
• Subjects: Biodiversity -- Periodicals; Biodiversity conservation -- Periodicals; 577
• DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12326
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1366-9516

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="ddi12326-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="ddi12326-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Aim</title> <p>Most studies on invasibility consider the characteristics of the habitats colonized. However, the success of the establishment of exotic species can be conditioned by the characteristics of the donor communities. In this study, we analyse the extent to which the distribution of exotic herbaceous species in Chile is conditioned either by the climatic characteristics of the recipient area or by the environmental features of the source areas on the Iberian Peninsula.</p> </sec> <sec id="ddi12326-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Location</title> <p>Chile and the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain).</p> </sec> <sec id="ddi12326-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>For Chile, we characterized the exotic species according to their current Chilean distribution and their region of origin. For the Iberian Peninsula, we compiled the floristic composition of 11, 702 relevés. We classified each relevé according to key habitat characteristics (bioclimate, soil nutrient status and type of community associated with human activities) and calculated the percentage of species in common with Chile in different climatic regions therein.</p> </sec> <sec id="ddi12326-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Over half of Chile's exotic species exhibited a geographic distribution related to the climate of the recipient area. The main donor communities were those associated with ruderal and arable land habitats, although their importance depended upon the climate in the recipient area. Correspondence was observed between the climatic characteristics of the communities in the source area and those of the recipient areas.</p> </sec> <sec id="ddi12326-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Main conclusions</title> <p>The results highlight the influence of the characteristics of habitats in the source area on the successful establishment of exotic species in Chile. The relationships between source and recipient area are scale dependent, climate constituting the main driver at broad scale. Within each climatic region, the communities associated with habitats presenting greater anthropic influence act as the main donors. Both features indicate the existence of filters that select species pre‐adapted to the climatic and habitat conditions in the recipient area.</p> </sec> </abstract>