Reproductive ecology of invasive Ochna serrulata (Ochnaceae) in south-eastern Queensland
Carl R. Gosper A , Gabrielle Vivian-Smith A C and Kate Hoad A BA CRC for Australian Weed Management and Alan Fletcher Research Station, Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines, PO Box 36, Sherwood, Qld 4075, Australia.
B Current address: PO Box 6199, Mooloolah, Qld 4553, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: gabrielle.viviansmith@nrm.qld.gov.au
Australian Journal of Botany 54(1) 43-52 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT05033
Submitted: 18 February 2005 Accepted: 1 August 2005 Published: 22 February 2006
Abstract
We investigated aspects of the reproductive ecology of Ochna serrulata (Hochst.) Walp., an invasive plant in eastern Australia. O. serrulata drupes were similar in size to fleshy fruits of other local invasive plants, but showed some distinct differences in quality, with a very high pulp lipid content (32.8% of dry weight), and little sugar and water. Seeds were dispersed by figbirds, Sphecotheres viridis Vieillot, a locally abundant frugivore, and comprised between 10 and 50% of all non-Ficus spp. fruit consumed during October and November. The rate of removal of O. serrulata drupes was greater in bushland than suburban habitats, indicating that control in bushland habitats should be a priority, but also that suburban habitats are likely to act as significant seed sources for reinvasion of bushland. Germination occurred under all seed-processing treatments (with and without pulp, and figbird gut passage), suggesting that although frugivores are important for dispersal, they are not essential for germination. Recruitment of buried and surface-sown seed differed between greenhouse and field experiments, with minimal recruitment of surface-sown seed in the field. Seed persistence was low, particularly under field conditions, with 0.75% seed viability after 6 months and 0% at 12 months. This provides an opportunity to target control efforts in south-eastern Queensland in spring before fruit set, when there is predicted to be few viable seeds in the soil.
Acknowledgments
C. R. G. and K. H. were funded by the CRC for Australian Weed Management, as a postdoctoral fellow and summer student, respectively. Austin O’Malley, another summer student funded by the CRC for Australian Weed Management, made some of the morphology measurements. We thank Brisbane City Council for permission to use the reserves under their management. Aspects of this research were carried out under Pest Animal Ethics Committee Project Number 040502. Land Protection, Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines, funded some of the nutritional analyses, which were conducted by Darryl Houlihan of the Queensland Department of Primary Industries. We thank Donna Bowe and volunteers at the Greening Australia office at Norman Park for helping with the laborious task of separating the pulp for nutritional analysis. Bob Galagher, David Hinchliffe and volunteer, Evan Chalk, provided technical assistance. Graeme Hastwell provided assistance with survival analysis. Tony Grice, Dane Panetta and anonymous referees provided helpful comments on the manuscript.
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