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CO 2 ENRICHMENT REDUCES THE ENERGETIC COST OF BIOMASS CONSTRUCTION IN AN INVASIVE DESERT GRASS
Author(s) -
Nagel Jennifer M.,
Huxman Travis E.,
Griffin Kevin L.,
Smith Stanley D.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.1890/02-3005
Subject(s) - invasive species , ecosystem , biomass (ecology) , dominance (genetics) , ecology , biology , introduced species , bromus , photosynthesis , native plant , environmental science , agronomy , botany , poaceae , biochemistry , gene
To examine how global change could influence species invasions, we compared the responses of energetic processes and growth of invasive and native grass species to atmospheric CO 2 enrichment in an intact Mojave Desert ecosystem. Combined with its modest influence on photosynthetic activity, elevated atmospheric CO 2 was associated with a significant reduction in the energetic cost of aboveground biomass construction in invasive Bromus madritensis spp. rubens (red brome) without a concurrent cost reduction in native Vulpia octoflora (six‐weeks fescue). Consequently, the invasive grass species grew faster, grew bigger, and produced more seeds with atmospheric CO 2 enrichment than the native grass species. As a physiological mechanism of invasive species success driven by CO 2 enrichment, such alterations in biomass construction costs combined with increased photosynthetic activity could trigger a shift in the species composition of this ecosystem, and potentially that of other invaded ecosystems, toward increased invasive species dominance.