Carbon uptake, growth and resource-use efficiency in one invasive and six native Hawaiian dry forest tree species

Abstract

Photosynthetic gas exchange, nitrogen- and water-use efficiency, leaf water potential and seasonal patterns of leaf production were studied in seven, dominant dry-forest species from the island of Lana'i, Hawaii, including the rapidly colonizing, non-native Schinus terebinthifolius (Raddi). We evaluated whether unique physiological characteristics of the invasive species explain its capacity to rapidly invade dry forests throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Apparent anomalies in stable carbon isotope data (δ13C) relative to other results led us to study effects of environmental conditions and physiological performance during leaf expansion on δ13C. Species that expanded all their foliage at the beginning of the wet season had more negative leaf δ13C values during the dry season than species with continuous leaf expansion. Among species, S. terebinthifolius had a strong seasonal pattern of leaf production and the most negative δ13C (-29 ‰). With respect to almost every trait measured, S. terebinthifolius fell at an end of the range of values for the native species. Rapid growth of S. terebinthifolius in this ecosystem may be partially explained by its high maximum CO2 assimilation rates (15 μmol m-2 s-1), low leaf mass per area, high photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency per unit leaf mass or area and large decrease in stomatal conductance during the dry season. Relative to the native species, the invasive species exhibited striking phenotypic plasticity, including high rates of stem growth and water and CO2 uptake during the wet season, and maintenance of leaves and high leaf water potentials, as a result of reduced water loss, during the dry season, enabling it to utilize available resources effectively.