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Differences in Functional traits of invasive (Wedelia trilobata) and native (Wedelia chinensis) plants under nitrogen enrichment and flooding conditions
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  • Ahmad Azeem,
  • Qaiser Javed,
  • Jianfan Sun,
  • Khawar Jabran,
  • Daolin Du
Ahmad Azeem

Corresponding Author:ahmadazeem631@yahoo.com

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Qaiser Javed
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Jianfan Sun
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Khawar Jabran
Duzce University
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Abstract

Plant invasions are major threat to global change, which can be determined through functional, traits of invasive and native species. Therefore, greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to test whether high water availability, nitrogen enrichment and their interaction promote the growth and functional traits of invasive species (Wedelia trilobata, WT), when competing with native species (Wedelia chinensis, WC) in monoculture and mixed culture. While, considering the impact of flooding (F) and nitrogen (N) as an individual factor, plant height of WC was non-significant as compared to WT. However, in combination of flooding × additional nitrogen (F.N, F.2N) physiological parameters of WT were encouragingly higher than those of WC, especially in mixed culture. Variable relative competition intensity at different parameters and higher phenotypic plasticity of WT at different physiological traits make them more dominant than WC at flooding × additional nitrogen (F.N and F.2N). In conclusion, growth of WT increased under combination of nitrogen × flooding, because of higher plasticity and better competition intensity that enhanced its competitiveness, playing an important role for the successful invasion of WT in flooding and nitrogen enrichment conditions.