Salt tolerance underlies the cryptic invasion of North American salt marshes by an introduced haplotype of the common reed Phragmites australis (Poaceae)

• Published in: Marine ecology. Progress series (Halstenbek) Vol. 298; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: VASQUEZ, Edward A, GLENN, Edward P, BROWN, J. Jed, GUNTENSPERGEN, Glenn R, NELSON, Stephen G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oldendorf Inter-Research 01-01-2005
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Phragmites australis; Poaceae; Sea water ecosystems; Synecology; North America; America; ASW, USA; USA, East Coast; ANW, USA; Brackish water environment; Monocotyledones; Introduced species; Phragmites australis; Tolerance; Environmental factor; Invasion; Cryptic; Salinity; Marine environment; Salt marsh; Salt; Invasive species; Gramineae; Phragmites australis ,Salt marshes; Salinity tolerance,Invasive species; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Haplotype
• ISSN: 0171-8630; 1616-1599
• DOI: 10.3354/meps298001

A distinct, non-native haplotype of the common reed Phragmites australis has become invasive in Atlantic coastal Spartina marshes. We compared the salt tolerance and other growth characteristics of the invasive M haplotype with 2 native haplotypes (F and AC) in greenhouse experiments. The M haplotype retained 50% of its growth potential up to 0.4 M NaCl, whereas the F and AC haplotypes did not grow above 0.1 M NaCl. The M haplotype produced more shoots per gram of rhizome tissue and had higher relative growth rates than the native haplotypes on both freshwater and saline water treatments. The M haplotype also differed from the native haplotypes in shoot water content and the biometrics of shoots and rhizomes. The results offer an explanation for how the M haplotype is able to spread in coastal salt marshes and support the conclusion of DNA analyses that the M haplotype is a distinct ecotype of P. australis.