Newswise — Invasive Plant Science and Management – Invasive plant species do not make good neighbors. Aside from their obvious disrespect for fence lines, weeds can continue to edge out native species even after the invaders have been plucked or controlled. Although a weed has been removed, it can leave behind negative effects in the soil. This “legacy” can inhibit the growth of native plants, which are vital to forming diversified grasslands and valuable for agricultural landscapes, biofuel feedstocks, and other aspects of the ecosystem.
A study in the current issue of the journal Invasive Plant Science and Management gauged the quality of soil after growth cycles of various grassland plants. Researchers found that invasive species can have a strong inhibitory effect on the growth of other grass species.
Weeds were found to alter soils physically, microbially, or both. Long after the weeds are controlled or removed, their impact on the soil lingers. This sets the stage for additional weed invasions and poor performance of native species while grasslands are being established.
Three exotic grass species, smooth brome, crested wheatgrass, and leafy spurge, were examined in this study. These weeds, along with three native grassland perennials, were grown separately through three cycles of growth and soil conditioning. Seedling plants were placed in soil previously “conditioned” by the other species. Native plants were found to share the soil with other species more easily.
Previously documented modifications to soil by invasive species include effects on soil food webs, microbial communities, and fungi as well as alteration of the input and cycling of nitrogen and other elements. In the current study, the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) affected the plants’ growth responses. With AMF in the soil, native species facilitated the growth of invasive species. Under the same conditions, invasive species offered neutral or negative consequences to other plants.
Some native plants, however, were unaffected by the invaders’ detrimental impact on the soil. This knowledge offers land managers some species that can be used positively as cover crops, or “nurse” plants. These plants can condition and restore soil, helping to make a friendlier environment for other native species to establish their roots.
Full text of the article, “Evidence of Qualitative Differences between Soil-Occupancy Effects of Invasive vs. Native Grassland Plant Species!,” Invasive Plant Science and Management, Vol. 4, No. 1, January-March 2011, is available at http://www.wssajournals.org/doi/full/10.1614/IPSM-D-10-00004.1###
About Invasive Plant Science and ManagementInvasive Plant Science and Management is a broad-based journal that focuses on invasive plant species. It is published four times a year by the Weed Science Society of America, a nonprofit professional society. The Weed Science Society of America promotes research, education, and extension outreach activities related to weeds; provides science-based information to the public and policy makers; and fosters awareness of weeds and their impacts on managed and natural ecosystems. For more information, visit http://www.wssa.net/.
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