The success of non-native plants in their recipient environments is often attributed to their relatively lower herbivorous attack (i.e., leaf damage). However, whether non-native plants are inherently more tolerant to leaf damage than native ones remains unclear. We conducted a field experiment to test the effects of clipping (25%, 50%, and 75% leaf area loss) on growth (stem height and production of new leaves) of the natural regenerations of invasive strawberry guava Psidium cattleianum (Myrtaceae) and its closely related native, Eugenia goviala (VU, Myrtaceae,), in a degraded forest in Andasibe, Madagascar. Each clipped individual was paired with a neighboring control (0% defoliation). Survival rates after 105 days were high (>93%) for both species and were not related to clipping levels. Eugenia goviala increased stem growth by 98% at 25% clipping but exhibited no response at higher clipping levels. Clipping tended to reduce stem growth in P. cattleianum but effects were only significant at 75% defoliation (46% reduction in stem growth). Defoliation did not affect the production of new leaves but we detected a tendency for P. cattleianum to produce fewer leaves at higher clipping levels. These results indicate a higher sensitivity to defoliation in the invasive strawberry guava compared to its close native relative E. goviala, which does not support the hypothesis that non-native plant species are more tolerant to leaf damage than native ones. Heavy defoliation can represent a substitute for mechanical control of the strawberry guava. Future studies should focus on identifying suitable native herbivores as part of an integrated control program for this invasive species.

中文翻译：

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在模拟食草实验中，入侵草莓番石榴 Psidium cowianum 的幼苗比密切相关的马达加斯加本土 Eugenia goviala 的幼苗对落叶更敏感

非本地植物在其受体环境中的成功通常归因于它们相对较低的食草攻击（即叶片损伤）。然而，非本地植物是否比本地植物更能耐受叶片损伤仍不清楚。我们进行了田间试验，以测试修剪（25%、50% 和 75% 的叶面积损失）对入侵草莓番石榴 Psidium cowianum（桃金娘科）和在马达加斯加安达西贝的退化森林中，它的近亲 Eugenia goviala（VU，桃金娘科）。每个剪下的个体都与相邻的对照（0% 落叶）配对。两种物种在 105 天后的存活率都很高 (>93%)，并且与修剪水平无关。Eugenia goviaa 在 25% 的修剪下使茎的生长增加了 98%，但在较高的修剪水平下没有表现出任何反应。修剪倾向于减少 P. cowianum 的茎生长，但效果仅在 75% 的落叶时显着（茎生长减少 46%）。落叶不会影响新叶的产生，但我们检测到 P. cowianum 在较高的修剪水平下产生较少叶子的趋势。这些结果表明，与原生近缘 E. goviala 相比，入侵草莓番石榴对落叶的敏感性更高，这不支持非原生植物物种比原生植物更能耐受叶片损伤的假设。严重的落叶可以替代草莓番石榴的机械控制。