Abstract
Outside its native range, the invasive plant species giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) has been shown to increase belowground fungal biomass. This non-obvious effect is poorly characterized; we don’t know whether it is plant developmental stage-dependent, which fractions of the fungal community are affected, and whether it is reflected in the next trophic level. To address these questions, fungal assemblages in soil samples collected from invaded and uninvaded plots in two soil types were compared. Although using ergosterol as a marker for fungal biomass demonstrated a significant increase in fungal biomass, specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays did not point at a quantitative shift. MiSeq-based characterization of the belowground effects of giant goldenrod revealed a local increase of mainly Cladosporiaceae and Glomeraceae. This asymmetric boost in the fungal community was reflected in a specific shift in the fungivorous nematode community. Our findings provide insight into the potential impact of invasive plants on local fungal communities.
Highlights
Invasive plants pose a threat to the biodiversity of natural ecosystems [1]
Uninvaded plots were dominated by native plant species, and if S. gigantea was present in the uninvaded plots, its coverage was neglectable
Significant changes were observed in soil moisture content, pH, and organic matter (OM) content between S. gigantea-invaded and uninvaded plots in riparian and semi-natural grasslands sites (Table 2)
Summary
Aboveground observations have often revealed that invasive plants reduce species richness of the native plant community [2]. Belowground, invasive plants can change physical conditions and the composition of soil biota, thereby even negatively affecting the soil biological conditions for the native plant community, making the restoration of the original vegetation more difficult [3]. Invasion can change ecological links, it is still unclear how invasive plant species modify soil community composition, diversity, structure, and function [4]. Understanding the mechanisms contributing to the success of plant invasion is critical for ecosystem conservation [5]. We need to identify the communityand ecosystem-level effects of the invasive species and discover which traits enable its invasive success [6].
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