Multiple common garden experiments suggest lack of local adaptation in an invasive ornamental plant

Since the Age of Exploration began, there has been a drastic breaching of biogeographic barriers that previously had isolated the continental biotas for millions of years. We explore the nature of these recent biotic exchanges and their consequences on evolutionary processes. The direct evidence of evolutionary consequences of the biotic rearrangements is of variable quality, but the results of trajectories are becoming clear as the number of studies increases. There are examples of invasive species altering the evolutionary pathway of native species by competitive exclusion, niche displacement, hybridization, introgression, predation, and ultimately extinction. Invaders themselves evolve in response to their interactions with natives, as well as in response to the new abiotic environment. Flexibility in behavior, and mutualistic interactions, can aid in the success of invaders in their new environment.

The tolerance of plants to herbivory reflects the degree to which a plant can regrow and reproduce after damage from herbivores. Autoecological factors, as well as the influence of competitors and mutualists, affect the level of plant tolerance. Recent work indicates that there is a heritable basis for tolerance and that it can evolve in natural plant populations. Although tolerance is probably not a strict alternative to plant resistance, there could be inter- and intraspecific tradeoffs between these defensive strategies.