Conspecific plasticity and invasion: invasive populations of Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera) have performance advantage over native populations only in low soil salinity.

Global climate change may increase biological invasions in part because invasive species may have greater phenotypic plasticity than native species. This may be especially important for abiotic stresses such as salt inundation related to increased hurricane activity or sea level rise. If invasive species indeed have greater plasticity, this may reflect genetic differences between populations in the native and introduced ranges.