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Compared with the invasive population, the seed germination of the local population of Solidago canadensis is more sensitive to soil microplastics
Summary
Scientists studying an invasive weed called Canada goldenrod found that microplastics in soil affect how well its seeds sprout differently depending on whether the plant is native or invasive to an area — and warmer temperatures make invasive seeds even better at handling this plastic pollution. This matters because it shows how the microplastics now widespread in soil and water (which humans are also increasingly exposed to through food and air) may be helping invasive plants spread faster, potentially disrupting the ecosystems and agriculture we depend on for food and clean environments.
Invasive alien plants (IAPs) pose a severe challenge to global ecosystems. Seeds are the main driving force for plant invasion. The impact of specific environmental factors on seed germination has been widely studied, but the influence of the interaction of multiple factors on seed germination is relatively scarce, especially for invasive plants. In this study, to explore the effects of source, warming and microplastic addition on seed germination, we took Solidago canadensis L. seeds from different sources and under different warming conditions as the experimental objects, and set five different microplastic concentrations (0%, 1%, 2%, 4% and 6%) to conduct seed germination experiments. The initial germination time, germination potential, germination rate, bud length, germination index and vigor index of seeds were determined, and the following results were obtained:(1) Warming increased the germination rate of the local population while decreasing that of the invasive population. (2) maternal exposure to a warming environment enhanced the tolerance of offspring seeds to microplastic stress. (3) the regression models relating germination potential and germination index, as well as germination rate and vigor index, in the local population exhibited structural shifts under microplastic treatment, indicating a capacity for rapid response to complex environmental stresses. These findings reveal distinct adaptive strategies of native and invasive species under microplastic stress in multifaceted environments, offering new insights into the mechanisms underlying the success of invasive alien plants. KEYWORDS Plant Invasion, Solidago canadensis, Seed germination, Interaction, Soil microplastics