Biomass allocation, shade tolerance and seedling survival of the invasive species Berberis darwinii (Darwin’s barberry)
Berberis darwinii (Berberidaceae) is a serious environmental weed in New Zealand, capable of invading a range of different light environments from grazed pasture to intact forest. According to optimal partitioning models, some plants optimise growth under different environmental conditions by shifting biomass allocation among tissue types (e.g. roots, shoots) to maximise the capture of limiting resources (e.g. water, light).