Portela Carballeira, RubénBarreiro, RodolfoRoiloa, Sergio2025-01-222025-01-222019-01-07Portela R, Barreiro R, Roiloa SR. Biomass partitioning in response to resources availability: A comparison between native and invaded ranges in the clonal invader Carpobrotus edulis. Plant Species Biol. 2019; 34: 11–18. https://doi.org/10.1111/1442-1984.122281442-1984http://hdl.handle.net/2183/40850This is the peer reviewed version of the article which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/1442-1984.12228.[Abstract] Identifying the mechanism underlying plant invasiveness is a fast-moving research topic in current ecology. Phenotypic plasticity has been pointed out as a trait that can contribute to plant invasiveness. This experiment examines the presence of rapid adaptive evolution favoring plastic biomass partitioning during the invasion process. With that aim, we tested differences in patterns of biomass allocation between populations of Carpobrotus edulis from South Africa (native area) and the Iberian Peninsula (invaded area) growing under different nutrient, water and light availabilities in a common garden experiment. Here we demonstrate that biomass partitioning in response to nutrient availability in C. edulis differs between populations from native and invaded ranges, indicating that this trait could be under selection during the invasion process. Thus, nutrient shortage significantly increased the proportional production of roots in populations from the invaded range, but not in populations from the native area. This plastic root-foraging response may contribute to the optimization of nutrient uptake by plants, and therefore could be considered as an adaptive strategy. Understanding the ecological implications of rapid evolution for plastic biomass partitioning is important in determining processes of plant adaptation to new environments, and contributes to disentangling the mechanisms underlying plant invasiveness.engThis article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions (https://authorservices.wiley.com/author-resources/Journal-Authors/licensing/self-archiving.html). This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.Biomass partitioningCarpobrotus edulisClonal growthPlant invasivenessRapid evolutionjournal articleopen access10.1111/1442-1984.12228