Record ID No. |
1953 |
Author(s) |
Batten K.M., Scow K.M., Espeland E.K , 2008 |
Affiliation |
Ctr Amer Progress, 1333 H St NW, 10th Floor, Washington,DC 20005 USA |
Title |
Soil microbial community associated with an invasive grass differentially impacts native plant performance |
Source. Vol.(no):Page |
Microbial Ecology.55(2):220-228p. |
Categories |
Arbuscular Mycorrhiza |
Subjects |
Biochemistry |
Sub-subjects |
Miscellaneous |
Organism |
n.a. |
Country |
United States |
Abstracts |
This study is one of the first to show that invasive plant-induced changes in the
soil microbial community can negatively impact native plant performance. This greenhouse
experiment tested whether soil microbial communities specific to the rhizospheres of an invasive
grass (Aegilops triuncialis) and two native plants (Lasthenia californica and Plantago erecta)
affected invasive and/or native plant performance. Each of these species were grown in separate
pots for 2 months to prime the soils with plant-specific rhizosphere microbial communities. Each
plant species was then planted in native- and invasive-primed soil, and effects on plant
performance were monitored. At 5 months, differences in microbial biomarker fatty acids between
invaded and native soils mirrored previous differences found in field-collected soil. L.
Californica performance was significantly reduced when grown in invaded soil compared to native
soil (flowering date was delayed, aboveground biomass decreased, specific root length increased,
and root mass ratio increased). In contrast, P. Erecta and A. Triuncialis performance were
unaffected when grown in invaded vs native soil. These results suggest that in some cases,
invasion-induced changes in the soil microbial community may contribute to a positive feedback
loop, leading to the increased dominance of invasive species in an ecosystem. |