Salt tolerant native plants have greater responses to other environments when compared to salt tolerant invasive plants

1. The strong expansion potential of invasive plants is often attributed to fast adaptive responses to stress. However, the evolution of tolerance to one stressor may affect the response to other stressors. Currently, it remains unclear what effect the evolution to one stressor might have on the response to others. Moreover, it is unknown how this might differ between invasive and native species.
2. Invasive plants (Mikania micrantha and Bidens pilosa) and native plants (Merremia hederacea and Sida acuta) from low- and high-salinity habitats were grown under control and stressful conditions [salt stress, water stress (drought/waterlog) and their combinations]. We explored the effects of evolved salt tolerance on the responses to water stress/combined stresses and the underlying trait mechanisms.
3. The high-salinity populations of all species exhibited stronger salt tolerance than the low-salinity populations. As to the tolerance to other stresses, the high-salinity and low-salinity p...