title: Stress tolerance and ecophysiological ability of an invader and a native species in a seasonally dry tropical forest.
abstract: Ecophysiological traits of Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. and a phylogenetically and ecologically similar native species, Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan, were studied to understand the invasive species' success in caatinga, a seasonally dry tropical forest ecosystem of the Brazilian Northeast. To determine if the invader exhibited a superior resource-capture or a resource-conservative strategy, we measured biophysical and biochemical parameters in both species during dry and wet months over the course of two years. The results show that P. juliflora benefits from a flexible strategy in which it frequently outperforms the native species in resource capture traits under favorable conditions (e.g., photosynthesis), while also showing better stress tolerance (e.g., antioxidant activity) and water-use efficiency in unfavorable conditions. In addition, across both seasons the invasive has the advantage over the native with higher chlorophyll/carotenoids and chlorophyll a/b ratios, percent N, and leaf protein. We conclude that Prosopis juliflora utilizes light, water and nutrients more efficiently than Anadenanthera colubrina, and suffers lower intensity oxidative stress in environments with reduced water availability and high light radiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marciel Teixeira
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Matzek
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dias Medeiros
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rivas
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hiram Marinho
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Falcão
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mauro Guida
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D017753:Ecosystem; D004777:Environment; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D065928:Forests; D058865:Introduced Species; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D029862:Prosopis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012621:Seasons; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D014197:Trees / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014329:Tropical Climate; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D002734:Chlorophyll; D002338:Carotenoids; C037184:chlorophyll b; D000077194:Chlorophyll A