Belowground legacies of Pinus contorta invasion and removal result in multiple mechanisms of invasional meltdown.

ABSTRACT: Plant invasions can change soil biota and nutrients in ways that drive subsequent plant communities, particularly when co-invading with belowground mutualists such as ectomycorrhizal fungi. These effects can persist following removal of the invasive plant and, combined with effects of removal per se, influence subsequent plant communities and ecosystem functioning. We used field observations and a soil bioassay with multiple plant species to determine the belowground effects and post-removal legacy caused by invasion of the non-native tree Pinus contorta into a native plant community. Pinus facilitated ectomycorrhizal infection of the co-occurring invasive tree, Pseudotsuga menziesii, but not conspecific Pinus (which always had ectomycorrhizas) nor the native pioneer Kunzea ericoides (whic

SUBMITTER: Dickie IA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4240229 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature