Environmental Science
8 years ago

Invasive plants outpace natives by creating more leaf area per mass.

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A Basis for Relative Growth Rate Differences Between Native and Invasive
Jeremy J. James, Rebecca E. Drenovsky

Paper Summary

Invasive plants grow faster than native plants in poor soil. A study compared 6 native and 6 invasive plants in a greenhouse. Invasive plants had higher growth rates because they made more leaf area per leaf mass, not because they made more leaves or grew faster. This means managing plant traits can help control weeds better.

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