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<p>The spread of invasive species in riparian ecosystems presents a significant ecological challenge, particularly when species exhibit diverse reproductive strategies. In the United States, <i>Rubus caesius</i> L. (European dewberry) is a nonnative shrub that was introduced for streambank erosion control and naturalized in the mid-1900s. In the past two decades it has become invasive, growing densely in multiple locations and spreading through riparian ecosystems. We investigated the morphological and reproductive traits of <i>R. caesius</i> across six environmentally similar sites within New York’s Finger Lakes region. We measured plant traits in the field and conducted a greenhouse cultivation experiment to evaluate vegetative reproduction. In the field, we identified significant variation in both foliar and sexual reproduction traits such as specific leaf area, number of flowering canes, and number of fruits among populations. Plants from a subset of sites produced substantially more flowers and fruits, and those sites typically had smaller leaves with lower specific leaf area. Fragment rooting success was high in all populations, with survival rates dependent on season and an observed resilience to heat stress in some populations. Similarity in morphological and reproductive traits among sites was not primarily related to geographic proximity, suggesting different initial propagule sources, local adaptation, or phenotypic plasticity. These results provide novel insights into the phenotypic variation of an emerging invasive species and present a foundation for targeted control efforts.</p>

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Differential investment in reproductive strategies among non-native populations of European dewberry (Rubus caesius)

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月28日

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  • Alexis B. Davis,
  • Kathryn L. Amatangelo

摘要

The spread of invasive species in riparian ecosystems presents a significant ecological challenge, particularly when species exhibit diverse reproductive strategies. In the United States, Rubus caesius L. (European dewberry) is a nonnative shrub that was introduced for streambank erosion control and naturalized in the mid-1900s. In the past two decades it has become invasive, growing densely in multiple locations and spreading through riparian ecosystems. We investigated the morphological and reproductive traits of R. caesius across six environmentally similar sites within New York’s Finger Lakes region. We measured plant traits in the field and conducted a greenhouse cultivation experiment to evaluate vegetative reproduction. In the field, we identified significant variation in both foliar and sexual reproduction traits such as specific leaf area, number of flowering canes, and number of fruits among populations. Plants from a subset of sites produced substantially more flowers and fruits, and those sites typically had smaller leaves with lower specific leaf area. Fragment rooting success was high in all populations, with survival rates dependent on season and an observed resilience to heat stress in some populations. Similarity in morphological and reproductive traits among sites was not primarily related to geographic proximity, suggesting different initial propagule sources, local adaptation, or phenotypic plasticity. These results provide novel insights into the phenotypic variation of an emerging invasive species and present a foundation for targeted control efforts.