Definitions
These are my definitions and are adapted from Grime's Plant Strategies , (a different version of K S). These delineations are based on the life strategies of plants.
Ruderal Plants
The
annual plants that are purchased in pony packs (6 liner pack) from
a supermarket, and many of the shrubs, and even trees that come
from creeks and river banks world wide, have ruderal life
strategies. This means that they have short-term strategies: they
are short-lived, produce lots of seed or propagules, do not have
any fungi or bacteria friends, nor produce their own chemicals,
such as antibiotics to protect themselves from pathogens. They
protect themselves mainly by growing thick roots and producing a
lot of seeds fast. Moreover, their seeds can reproduce even when
very immature. They are usually also termed pioneer plants in
their own plant community and/or they live in easy spots, such as
along creeks and rivers, where there is lots of food and water.
These plants are easy to grow; just add water, amendments, and
fertilizer.(Ruderals have limited use for mycorrhizae, a symbyotic
relationship between plant roots and fungi; they are usually
associated with garbage mycorrhiza (Richard Miller called them
that) and bacteria."In each case, higher bacterial counts
were recorded in the rhizospheres of cultivars susceptible to
disease." In the soil, in the vicinity of the roots of these
plants, the ratio of free-living bacterium to free-living fungus
is about 1/1
The only native plants that fit the ruderal definition are things like Evening Primrose (Oenothera hookeri), Horsetail (Equisetum spp.), Bulrush (Scirpus spp.), etc. These aren't even in the same league as the non-native ruderals, many of which have adapted to human disturbance and just follow in our wake (Bromus spp., Erodium spp., Lobularia sp. and other nasties) Dabblers and decorators love these plants (along with most deer and rabbits, to them they "taste like lettuce"). These guys are truly weeds!
Circumventor Plants
These
types of plants have life strategies which are midway between
ruderal and stress-tolerant. These types of plants are deciduous
under stress. Circumventors can include about 50% of the native
species; for example, California Fuchsia (Zauschneria
or Epilobium spp.), Monkey Flower (Diplacus
or Mimulus spp.), Buckwheat (Eriogonum
spp.)Fleabane Daisy (Erigeron
spp.), Lupine (Lupinus
spp.), Penstemon (Penstemon
spp.), some California Lilacs (Ceanothus
spp.), some Sages (Salvia
spp.), Sagebrush (Artemisia
spp.), etc. along with Cottonwood/Poplar/Aspen (Populus
spp.), Willow (Salix
spp.), etc., along with most of our native annual wildflowers
and perennial and annual native grasses (these plants are browsed
hard seasonally if watered off- season.)
Non-native plants include Rockrose (Cistus spp.), Lavender (Lavandula spp.), Rosemary (Rosmarinus spp.), Thyme (Thymus spp.), India-Hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis spp.), Pear (Pyrus spp.), etc. These plants are harder to grow and you must pay attention to seasonal issues on native plants. Also, non-native plants become unstable under high fertility and water use. In the soil, in the vicinity of the roots of these plants, there is a ratio of 1 free-living bacterium to 2-4 free-living fungi.
Stress
tolerant Plants
These plants possess long-term life strategies. These include Manzanitas (Arctostaphylos spp.), many of the Oaks (Quercus spp.), most Pines (Pinus spp.), some California Lilac (Ceanothus spp.), some sages (Salvia dorri), some Buckwheats (Eriogonum spp.), ( the high elevation and some desert ones ), some Junipers (Juniperus spp.), etc. These plants are easy to grow if you treat them exactly the opposite of how you would treat the ruderal plants; for example, give them little or no water, no fertilizer, and no soil amendments. In the soil, in the vicinity of the roots of these plants, there is one free-living bacterium for every 7-9 free-living fungi.
I hope this isn't overkill (didactic as one editor called it).