Patterns of seed bank and size asymmetry of plant growth across varying sites in the invasive Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae)

Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) is a weed of great significance in Australia and worldwide, but little is known about connections among components of its life history. We document over a 3-year period, the links between L. camara seed-bank dynamics and its above-ground growth, including size asymmetry in four land-use types (a farm, a hoop pine plantation and two open eucalypt forests) invaded by the weed near Brisbane, Queensland Australia. Seed-bank populations varied appreciably across sites and in response to rainfall and control measures, and they were higher (~1,000 seeds/m2) when annual rainfall was 15-30 % below the long-term yearly average. Fire reduced seed-bank populations but not the proportion germinating (6-8 %). Nearly a quarter of fresh seeds remain germinable after 3 years of soil burial. For small seedlings (<10 cm high), the expected trade-offs in two life-history traits-survival and growth-did not apply; rather the observed positive association between these two traits, coupled with a persistent seed-bank population could contribute to the invasiveness of the plant. Relationships between absolute growth rate and initial plant size (crown volume) were positively linear, suggesting that most populations are still at varying stages of the exponential phase of the sigmoid growth; this trend also suggests that at most sites and despite increasing stand density and limiting environmental resources of light and soil moisture, lantana growth is inversely size asymmetric. From the observed changes in measures of plant size inequality, asymmetric competition appeared limited in all the infestations surveyed. © 2013 Crown Copyright as represented by: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia.

Portrait of Leopold Alsberg; Employee of Mendelssohn Bank, Berlin Portraits Men

Digital Image

Portrait of Max Benjamin; Employee of Mendelssohn Bank, Berlin Portraits Men

Digital Image

Portrait of Max Arndt; Employee of Mendelssohn Bank, Berlin Portraits Men

Digital Image

Portrait of Carl Gompertz; Employee of Mendelssohn Bank, Berlin Portraits Men

Digital Image

Portrait of Karl Abenhausen; Employee of Mendelssohn Bank, Berlin Portraits Men

Digital Image

Portrait of Karl Gammann; Employee of Mendelssohn Bank, Berlin Portraits Men

Digital Image

Portrait of Julius Wallch; Employee of Mendelssohn Bank, Berlin Portraits Men

"1.12.1884 Julius Wallach geb. 30.5.1859. pens. 31.12.1927"

Portrait of Carl Degelow; Employee of Mendelssohn Bank, Berlin Portraits Men

"22.5.1884 Carl Degelow get. 30.1.1860. gest. 24.10.1927"

Portrait of Alfred Timme; Employee of Mendelssohn Bank, Berlin Portraits Men

"25.98.1884. Alfred Timme geb. 9.12.1860. pens. 31.12.1927"

Portrait of Josef Weismann; Employee of Mendelssohn Bank, Berlin Portraits Men

"1.1.1888. Josef Weismann geb. 20.10.1857. pens. 31.12.1927"

Portrait of Franz Trolldenier; Employee of Mendelssohn Bank, Berlin Portraits Men

"11.4.1889 Franz Trolldenier geb. 5.12.1866"

Portrait of Georg Heinrich; Employee of Mendelssohn Bank, Berlin Portraits Men

"15.4.1889 Georg Heinrich geb. 12.5.1863. pens. 31.12.1927"

Portrait of Friedrich Brandes; Employee of Mendelssohn Bank, Berlin Portraits Men

"25.7.1891 Friedrich Brandes geb. 11.4.1867 pens. 31.12.1927"

Portrait of Moritz Romberg; Employee of Mendelssohn Bank, Berlin Portraits Men

"1.10.1891 Moritz Romberg geb. 4.6.1870"