Intraspecific trait variability is relevant in assessing differences in functional composition between native and alien aquatic plant communities

The loss of plant functional diversity associated with biological invasion is a main subject of invasion biology, but still understudied in case of aquatic plants. We calculated functional richness, evenness, divergence and community-weighted mean trait values of aquatic plant communities for 20 plots, half invaded and half non-invaded by alien species, in a thermal effluent of West Hungary. Three traits [specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf area (LA)] were considered to explain how alien species alter ecosystem function. We differentiated interspecific and intraspecific trait variation and investigate its effect on the community-level functional diversity. We found that alien species invasion causes significant changes in the functional composition of aquatic plants whereby alien species become able to absorb light more efficiently, which will directly enhance their increased biomass production. Our study highlights the importance of local adaptation, showing that calculating functional diversity with global pooling of trait measurements causes significant over- or underestimation of functional diversity indices. Consequently, this can potentially result in erroneous conclusions regarding the impact of invasion.

Automated summary

The loss of plant functional diversity due to biological invasion is understudied in aquatic plants. This study examined how alien species invasion affects functional diversity of aquatic plant communities by analyzing specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, and leaf area. It was found that alien species invasion leads to significant changes in functional composition and increased biomass production. The study emphasizes the importance of considering local adaptation and cautions against generalizing functional diversity measurements.