Native generalist consumers interact strongly with seeds of the invasive wild cucumber (Echinocystis lobata)

Abstract

When alien plant species arrive in a new environment, they develop novel interactions with native biota that can range from negative to positive. Determining the nature and strength of these interactions is integral to understanding why some aliens are suppressed and others become highly invasive pests. For introduced terrestrial plants, seed and seedling interactions with native biota are crucial, because most nascent populations start from seed. Herein, we explored interactions between native generalist rodent and bird consumers and seeds of the invasive wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata by conducting seed-offering experiments in Poland. We also evaluated how interspecific competition from native plants and intraspecific competition from clustering of E. lobata seed (clustering resembling consumer seed caching) affected survival of seedlings and young plants. Native consumers interacted strongly with E. lobata seeds, with rodents removing 98% of seeds from ground locations and birds removing 24% of elevated seeds. Camera and live traps indicated that striped field mice Apodemus agrarius were the predominant rodent removing seeds. Camera traps and visual observations indicated that great tits Parus major and European jays Garrulus glandarius were the primary bird species removing elevated seeds. While some level of seed removal was likely attributable to seed predation, as indicated by seed coat remains, we also observed evidence that rodents may cache E. lobata seeds and Garrulus glandarius are known to cache and disperse seeds. Monitoring of seedlings indicated that increasing cover of native plants and clustering of E. lobata seedlings both reduced survival of seedlings and young plants due to inter- and intraspecific competition, respectively. Hence, caching by generalist consumers may disperse E. lobata seeds, which are heavy and lack dispersal adaptations, but such caching may also reduce individual seedling survival rates. Fully understanding invasion success of the E. lobata will require evaluating the net effects of generalist consumers on its recruitment and dispersal.