EESS Student talk on "Invasive palms do not benefit from warming compared to native trees"
Event details
| Date | 01.04.2025 |
| Hour | 12:45 › 13:15 |
| Speaker | Thibaut JUILLARD, PhD Student, PERL |
| Location | Online |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
| Event Language | English |
Abstract:
One of the biggest threats to biodiversity globally is the spread of non-native species. In Europe, plants are responsible for half of all invasions, which can lead to changes in species composition and alter ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, primary production, and natural hazard prevention. Invasive plants are suspected to benefit from global warming as they could acclimate their photosynthesis and respiration more extensively than native plants with warming. Such acclimation may lead to a higher carbon uptake and an overall competitive advantage. Yet, the physiology of invasive plant species and their capacity to acclimate to temperature is poorly understood, and most existing studies are observational.
To better understand the physiology of invasive plants in comparison to native plants, we conducted an experimental study in five diFerent climates across Europe to expose an invasive palm and two native tree species to a wide range of air temperatures, and we measured how photosynthesis and respiration acclimated. In addition, we modeled the yearly carbon uptake of the three species to measure how acclimation of photosynthesis and respiration contributes to the carbon budget. Contrary to our expectations, we observed that the invasive palm was not capable of acclimating its photosynthesis and respiration more than the native species. Moreover, while a mild increase in temperature was favorable for all species, acclimation was not suFicient to prevent carbon losses at high temperatures. Our findings show that not all invasive species benefit from warming and suggest that there are alternative mechanisms promoting invasion.
Biography:
Thibaut Juillard is a Ph.D. student in the Plant Ecology Research Lab (PERL) with Charlotte Grossiord. After completing his studies in Environmental Sciences and Engineering at EPFL, he joined PERL and began studying how tree physiology responds to environmental changes. His current research focuses on how climate change can favor invasive plants, using as a focal species the windmill palm, a highly invasive species in forests of the Southern Alps.
One of the biggest threats to biodiversity globally is the spread of non-native species. In Europe, plants are responsible for half of all invasions, which can lead to changes in species composition and alter ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, primary production, and natural hazard prevention. Invasive plants are suspected to benefit from global warming as they could acclimate their photosynthesis and respiration more extensively than native plants with warming. Such acclimation may lead to a higher carbon uptake and an overall competitive advantage. Yet, the physiology of invasive plant species and their capacity to acclimate to temperature is poorly understood, and most existing studies are observational.
To better understand the physiology of invasive plants in comparison to native plants, we conducted an experimental study in five diFerent climates across Europe to expose an invasive palm and two native tree species to a wide range of air temperatures, and we measured how photosynthesis and respiration acclimated. In addition, we modeled the yearly carbon uptake of the three species to measure how acclimation of photosynthesis and respiration contributes to the carbon budget. Contrary to our expectations, we observed that the invasive palm was not capable of acclimating its photosynthesis and respiration more than the native species. Moreover, while a mild increase in temperature was favorable for all species, acclimation was not suFicient to prevent carbon losses at high temperatures. Our findings show that not all invasive species benefit from warming and suggest that there are alternative mechanisms promoting invasion.
Biography:
Thibaut Juillard is a Ph.D. student in the Plant Ecology Research Lab (PERL) with Charlotte Grossiord. After completing his studies in Environmental Sciences and Engineering at EPFL, he joined PERL and began studying how tree physiology responds to environmental changes. His current research focuses on how climate change can favor invasive plants, using as a focal species the windmill palm, a highly invasive species in forests of the Southern Alps.
Practical information
- General public
- Free
- This event is internal
Organizer
- EESS - IIE
Contact
- Prof. Charlotte Griossord, PERL