Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Seed number and environmental conditions do not explain seed size variability for the invasive herb Lupinus polyphyllus

  • Published:
Plant Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Intraspecific variation in seed size may result from life-history constraints or environmental conditions experienced. This variation in seed size is likely to affect the early stage of invasion as seed size may contribute to the success or failure of population establishment. However, only a few studies have examined seed size variability and its causes and consequences for invaders so far. Using the invasive herb Lupinus polyphyllus, we estimated seed mass variation within and among 39 populations from two different geographic regions in a part of the invaded range. We empirically and experimentally evaluated the effect of seed number and environmental conditions (e.g. geographic region, habitat type, intraspecific competition) on seed mass, emergence and seedling performance. Seed mass varied threefold, being largest among individual plants within populations and smallest among populations. Variation in seed mass was neither related to seed number nor the environmental conditions examined, but led to differences in offspring performance, with emergence and seedling size increasing with seed mass. Larger L. polyphyllus seeds were better establishers than smaller seeds regardless of environmental conditions, indicating that the success of L. polyphyllus invasions is likely to depend positively on seed mass. Our results suggest that some plant species such as the invasive L. polyphyllus may not show an adaptive response in seed mass to resources or environmental conditions, which may partly explain their ability to colonise a range of different habitats.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aniszewski A, Kupari MH, Leinonen AJ (2001) Seed number, seed size and seed diversity in Washington lupin (Lupinus polyphyllus Lindl.). Ann Bot 87:77–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baraloto C, Forget P-M, Goldberg DE (2005) Seed mass, seedling size and neotropical tree seedling establishment. J Ecol 93:1156–1166

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bates D, Maechler M, Bolker B (2011) lme4: linear mixed-effects models using S4 classes. R package version 0.999375-41

  • Bolker BM, Brooks ME, Clark CJ, Geange SW, Poulsen JR, Stevens MHH, White JS (2009) Generalized linear mixed models: a practical guide for ecology and evolution. Trends Ecol Evol 24:127–135

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buckley YM, Downey P, Fowler SW, Hill R, Memmot J, Norambuena H, Pitcairn M, Byers DL, Platenkamp GAJ, Shaw RG, Sheppard AW, Winks C, Wittenberg R, Rees M (2003) Are invasives bigger? A global study of seed size variation in two invasive shrubs. Ecology 84:1434–1440

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buswell J, Moles A, Hartley S (2011) Is rapid evolution common in introduced plant species? J Ecol 99:214–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crawley MJ (2009) The R Book, 2nd edn. Wiley, Chichester

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson AM, Jennions M, Nicotra AB (2011) Do invasive species show higher phenotypic plasticity than native species and, if so, is it adaptive? A meta-analysis. Ecol Lett 14:419–431

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dlugosch KM, Parker IM (2008) Founding events in species invasions: genetic variation, adaptive evolution, and the role of multiple introductions. Mol Ecol 17:431–449

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eriksson O (1999) Seed size variation and its effect on germination and seedling performance in the clonal herb Convallaria majalis. Acta Oecol 20:61–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Global Invasive Species Database, http://www.issg.org

  • Gundel PE, Garibaldi LA, Martínez-Ghersa MA, Ghersa CM (2012) Trade-off between seed number and weight: influence of a grass-endophyte symbiosis. Basic Appl Ecol 13:32–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halpern SL (2005) Sources and consequences of seed size variation in Lupinus perennis (Fabaceae): adaptive and non-adaptive hypotheses. Am J Bot 92:205–213

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harper JJ, Lovell P, Moore KG (1970) The shapes and sizes of seeds. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 1:327–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ladd D, Cappuccino N (2005) A field study of seed dispersal and seedling performance in the invasive exotic vine Vincetoxicum rossicum. Can J Bot 83:1181–1188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambrecht-McDowell SC, Radosevich SR (2005) Population demographics and trade-offs to reproduction of an invasive and non-invasive species of Rubus. Biol Invasions 7:281–295

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lampinen R, Lahti T (2011) Kasviatlas 2010. University of Helsinki, Finnish Museum of Natural History, Botanical Museum, Helsinki. http://www.luomus.fi/kasviatlas

  • Michaels HJ, Benner B, Hartgerink AP, Lee TD, Rice S, Willson MF, Bertin RI (1988) Seed size variation: magnitude, distribution and ecological correlates. Evol Ecol 2:157–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moegenburg SM (1996) Sabal palmetto seed size: causes of variation, choices of predators, and consequences for seedlings. Oecologia 106:539–543

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moles AT, Leishman MR (2008) The seedling as part of a plant’s life history strategy. In: Leck MA, Parker VT, Simpson RL (eds) Seedling ecology and evolution. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 217–238

  • Parciak W (2002) Environmental variation in seed number, size, and dispersal of a fleshy-fruited plant. Ecology 83:780–793

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paul-Victor C, Turnbull LA (2009) The effect of growth conditions on the seed size/number trade-off. PLoS ONE 4(9):e6917

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pichancourt J-B, van Klinken RD (2012) Phenotypic plasticity influences the size, shape and dynamics of the geographic distribution of an invasive plant. PLoS ONE 7:e32323

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pinheiro J, Bates B, DebRoy S, Sarkar D, the R Development Core Team (2011) nlme: linear and nonlinear mixed effects models. R package version 3.1-101

  • R Development Core Team (2012) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing. Vienna, Austria. ISBN 3-900051-07-0. http://www.R-project.org

  • Ramula S, Pihlaja K (2012) Plant communities and reproductive success of native plants after the invasion of an ornamental herb. Biol Invasions 14:2079–2090

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richards CL, Bossdorf O, Muth NZ, Gurevitch J, Pigliucci M (2006) Jack of all trades, master of some? On the role of phenotypic plasticity in plant invasions. Ecol Lett 9:981–993

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ridenour WM, Vivanco JM, Feng Y, Horiuchi J, Callaway RM (2008) No evidence for trade-offs: Centaurea plants from America are better competitors and defenders. Ecol Monogr 78:369–386

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sakai AK, Allendorf FW, Holt JS, Lodge DM, Molofsky J, With KA, Baughman S, Cabin RJ, Cohen JE, Ellstrand NC, McCauley DE, O’Neil P, Parker IM, Thompson JN, Weller SG (2001) The population biology of invasive species. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 32:305–332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaal BA (1980) Reproductive capacity and seed size in Lupinus texensis. Am J Bot 67:703–709

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simons AM, Johnston MO (2000) Variation in seed traits of Lobelia inflata (Campanulaceae); sources and fitness consequences. Am J Bot 87:124–132

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith CC, Fretwell SD (1974) The optimal balance between size and number of offspring. Am Nat 108:499–506

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Susko DJ, Cavers PB (2008) Seed size effects and competitive ability in Thlaspi arvense L. (Brassicaceae). Botany 86:259–267

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Susko DJ, Lovett-Doust L (2000) Patterns of seed mass variation and their effects on seedling traits in Alliaria petiolata (Brassicaceae). Am J Bot 87:56–66

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tang C, Robson AD (1993) pH above 6.0 reduces nodulation in Lupinus species. Plant Soil 152:269–276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tautenhahn S, Heilmeier H, Götzenberger L, Klotz S, Wirth C, Kühn I (2008) On the biogeography of seed mass in Germany—distribution patterns and environmental correlates. Ecography 31:457–468

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Timmins SM, Mackenzie IW (1995) Weeds in New Zealand protected natural areas database. Department of Conservation Technical Series No 8. Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand

  • van Kleunen M, Fischer M, Schmid B (2001) Effects of intraspecific competition on size variation and reproductive allocation in a clonal plant. Oikos 94:515–524

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Kleunen M, Weber E, Fischer M (2010) A meta-analyses of trait differences between invasive and non-invasive plant species. Ecol Lett 13:235–245

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vaughton G, Ramsey M (1998) Sources and consequences of seed mass variation in Banksia marginata (Proteaceae). J Ecol 86:563–573

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Venable DL (1992) Size-number trade-offs and the variation of seed size with plant resource status. Am Nat 140:287–304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willis SG, Hulme PE (2004) Environmental severity and variation in the reproductive traits of Impatiens glandulifera. Funct Ecol 18:887–898

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wulff RD (1986) Seed size variation in Desmodium paniculatum. II Effects on seedling growth and physiological performance. J Ecol 74:99–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Tuija Häkkilä and Kati Pihlaja for assistance with seeds, Jodi Price and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments, and the Emil Aaltonen Foundation and the Academy of Finland for funding.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Virve Sõber

    Present address: Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biodiversity Unit, Department of Biology, Lund University, 22362, Lund, Sweden

    Satu Ramula

  2. Aronia Coastal Zone Research Team, Åbo Akademi University & Novia University of Applied Sciences, Raseborgsvägen 9, 10600, Ekenäs, Finland

    Satu Ramula

  3. Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland

    Virve Sõber

Authors
  1. Virve Sõber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Satu Ramula
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Satu Ramula.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sõber, V., Ramula, S. Seed number and environmental conditions do not explain seed size variability for the invasive herb Lupinus polyphyllus . Plant Ecol 214, 883–892 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-013-0216-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-013-0216-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation