Recruitment limitation by the invasive shrub Mimosa pigra across multiple exposure pathways: evidence for a contributory allelopathic role

Recruitment limitation by the invasive shrub Mimosa pigra across multiple exposure pathways: evidence for a contributory allelopathic role | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Recruitment limitation by the invasive shrub Mimosa pigra across multiple exposure pathways: evidence for a contributory allelopathic role Phuoc Huu Le, Duong Thi Huong Vo This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9192830/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Early recruitment is a critical bottleneck in plant invasion because suppression at this stage can strongly reduce resident regeneration and reinforce invader dominance. Mimosa pigra forms dense stands in wetland and riparian habitats, yet the contribution of leaf-derived chemistry to its invasion success remains insufficiently resolved. We tested whether leaf extracts of M. pigra suppress recruitment-related traits across three recipient species and whether the resulting pattern is consistent with chemically mediated interference. Using concentration-gradient bioassays combined with physicochemical controls, four-parameter logistic modelling, activated carbon neutralization, litter-leachate assays, invaded-soil comparisons, and phytochemical profiling, we found strong concentration-dependent reductions in germination, seed vigor, root growth, shoot growth, and biomass accumulation. Root growth was consistently the most sensitive endpoint across species. Activated carbon partly alleviated inhibitory effects, while litter leachates and invaded soils also reduced establishment-related traits. These inhibitory responses were associated with a phenolic- and flavonoid-rich extract profile. Together, the findings indicate that M. pigra can limit early recruitment through multiple plausible exposure pathways and support a contributory, rather than exclusive, allelopathic role in the persistence of invaded stands. Mimosa pigra allelopathy recruitment limitation invasive shrub litter leachate plant–soil interactions Full Text Supplementary Files SupplementaryFigureTable.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 11 May, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 09 Apr, 2026 Editor invited by journal 26 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 23 Mar, 2026 First submitted to journal 22 Mar, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9192830","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":620495441,"identity":"70c67761-b786-4a56-935f-8b40be390da3","order_by":0,"name":"Phuoc Huu Le","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAwUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACPgkGNhAtB+GyEaGFDarFmHQtiQ3Ea5HuPfaYp8Iuvb9/jQHDh7LDDAa3GwhokTmXbsxzJjl3xo03BowzzgG13DlAyGE5ZtK8bQdyG26cMWDmbTvMIDkjgTgt6fIgLX9J0ZJgcL7HgJkRqIVfgqCWvDTJOWeSDTfeYCs42HMunYegFn6J3GMSbyrs5OXOH9744EeZtRwbIS0MDDxQGqjyABKXGC38B4hQPApGwSgYBSMSAABUSTzyLbBQOAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6263-2869","institution":"An Giang Universitas","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Phuoc","middleName":"Huu","lastName":"Le","suffix":""},{"id":620495442,"identity":"33411c85-007b-460d-849c-7b289663e16d","order_by":1,"name":"Duong Thi Huong Vo","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"An Giang Universitas","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Duong","middleName":"Thi Huong","lastName":"Vo","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-22 17:10:44","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9192830/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9192830/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":107482704,"identity":"0c300d65-36d0-498f-a6ec-3276dcd0535b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-22 02:24:30","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":777123,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ManuscriptinvasiveshrubfinalreviewPhuoc.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9192830/v1_covered_29610eb7-455c-436e-a3c4-3c83cc84682c.pdf"},{"id":107173367,"identity":"3b0d7e3d-3ffe-4fb1-a622-acf467efd093","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-17 15:12:46","extension":"docx","order_by":7,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":125898,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"SupplementaryFigureTable.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9192830/v1/14e77e12f65aeb9e0d15dd73.docx"}],"financialInterests":"","formattedTitle":"Recruitment limitation by the invasive shrub Mimosa pigra across multiple exposure pathways: evidence for a contributory allelopathic role","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"biological-invasions","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"binv","sideBox":"Learn more about [Biological Invasions](https://www.springer.com/journal/10530)","snPcode":"10530","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/10530/3","title":"Biological Invasions","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Mimosa pigra, allelopathy, recruitment limitation, invasive shrub, litter leachate, plant–soil interactions","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9192830/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9192830/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eEarly recruitment is a critical bottleneck in plant invasion because suppression at this stage can strongly reduce resident regeneration and reinforce invader dominance. \u003cem\u003eMimosa pigra\u003c/em\u003e forms dense stands in wetland and riparian habitats, yet the contribution of leaf-derived chemistry to its invasion success remains insufficiently resolved. We tested whether leaf extracts of \u003cem\u003eM. pigra\u003c/em\u003e suppress recruitment-related traits across three recipient species and whether the resulting pattern is consistent with chemically mediated interference. Using concentration-gradient bioassays combined with physicochemical controls, four-parameter logistic modelling, activated carbon neutralization, litter-leachate assays, invaded-soil comparisons, and phytochemical profiling, we found strong concentration-dependent reductions in germination, seed vigor, root growth, shoot growth, and biomass accumulation. Root growth was consistently the most sensitive endpoint across species. Activated carbon partly alleviated inhibitory effects, while litter leachates and invaded soils also reduced establishment-related traits. These inhibitory responses were associated with a phenolic- and flavonoid-rich extract profile. Together, the findings indicate that \u003cem\u003eM. pigra\u003c/em\u003e can limit early recruitment through multiple plausible exposure pathways and support a contributory, rather than exclusive, allelopathic role in the persistence of invaded stands.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Recruitment limitation by the invasive shrub Mimosa pigra across multiple exposure pathways: evidence for a contributory allelopathic role","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-17 15:12:24","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9192830/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"","date":"2026-05-11T14:20:41+00:00","index":0,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-09T17:18:10+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"Biological Invasions","date":"2026-03-26T16:02:11+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-03-23T11:54:11+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Biological Invasions","date":"2026-03-22T13:10:23+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"biological-invasions","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"binv","sideBox":"Learn more about [Biological Invasions](https://www.springer.com/journal/10530)","snPcode":"10530","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/10530/3","title":"Biological Invasions","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"90f525df-f007-4237-9021-8ae9c69c3e18","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 17th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"","date":"2026-05-11T14:20:41+00:00","index":0,"fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-17T15:12:24+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-17 15:12:24","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9192830","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9192830","identity":"rs-9192830","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}