Phylogenetically diverse native systems are more resistant to invasive plant species on Robben Island, South Africa

Phylogenetically diverse native plant systems on Robben Island, South Africa, exhibit greater resistance to invasive species. The study found that alien invasive plants tend to flower later and for longer periods, relying more on abiotic pollination and hermaphroditic traits, whereas native species depend on biotic pollinators, flower earlier, and are predominantly dioecious. Additionally, a facilitative interaction between an invasive legume and other invasive plants was observed, but this did not affect the phylogenetic structure of plant communities. The research employed multiple approaches to explore functional traits linked to invasion success and the role of phylogenetic structure in biotic interactions.

Yessoufou, K., Bezeng, B. S., Gaoue, O. G., Bengu, T., & van der Bank, M. (2019). Phylogenetically diverse native systems are more resistant to invasive plant species on Robben Island, South Africa. Genome, 62(3), 217–228. https://doi.org/10.1139/gen-2018-0039