Impacts of invasive trees on alpha and beta diversity of temperate forest understories

Marcin K Dyderski,Andrzej M Jagodziński

doi:10.1007/s10530-020-02367-6

Marcin K Dyderski, Andrzej M Jagodziński

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-020-02367-6

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Abstract

Despite good recognition of distributions and spread mechanisms of the three most invasive trees in Europe (Prunus serotina, Quercus rubra and Robinia pseudoacacia), their impacts on forest biodiversity are unevenly recognized. Most studies cover only taxonomic alpha diversity, and only a single study included functional and phylogenetic diversity. Using a set of 186 study plots in western Poland we assessed the impacts of these invasive tree species on the alpha and beta taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity of understory vascular plants. Alpha diversity was higher in R. pseudoacacia forests and lower in Q. rubra forests compared to mature native forests. Compared to non-invaded plantations and forests, alpha diversity was higher in P. sylvestris plantations invaded by P. serotina, but lower in invaded nutrient-poor P. sylvestris forests. Alien species richness was higher and beta diversity was lower in forests invaded by P. serotina or R. pseudoacacia than in non-invaded forests. In contrast, beta diversity was higher in Q. rubra forests than in native forests. We proved that invaded forests differed from non-invaded forests in species composition, but not always with decreased alpha and beta diversity. Impacts of particular invasive species also depended on the reference ecosystem properties (here mature native forests, which did not always have the highest biodiversity), which is a source of inconsistency in previous studies, usually referring to single native ecosystem types.

Highlights

Invasive alien species are considered one of the most important threats to native biodiversity (Richardson 1998; Mack et al 2000; Vilaet al. 2011)
Composition of understory vascular plant species revealed the main gradient along DCA1 axis, from the least fertile P. sylvestris forests to P. sylvestris plantations, Q. petraea, Q. rubra and F. sylvatica forests to the most fertile Quercus-Acer-Tilia and R. pseudoacacia forests (Fig. 3)
We found the highest number of AFIS and forest species in Quercus-Acer-Tilia and R. pseudoacacia forests while the lowest—in F. sylvatica forests (Table 3, Fig. 4)

Summary

Introduction

Invasive alien species are considered one of the most important threats to native biodiversity (Richardson 1998; Mack et al 2000; Vilaet al. 2011). Invasive alien species are considered one of the most important threats to native biodiversity Recipient community susceptibility to invasion (Lonsdale 1999; Davis et al 2000) Both ecological success and impacts on native ecosystems by invasive species are highly context-dependent (Kumschick et al 2015; Dyderski and Jagodzinski 2019a; Sapsford et al 2020). Despite numerous studies on the impacts of invasive alien species, most of them focused on the taxonomic diversity of invaded ecosystems (Olden et al 2018). In specific conditions trends were different: e.g. in Berlin R. pseudoacacia forests hosted fewer alien plant species in the understory than native Betula pendula Roth. In specific conditions trends were different: e.g. in Berlin R. pseudoacacia forests hosted fewer alien plant species in the understory than native Betula pendula Roth. forests (Trentanovi et al 2013), and in riparian forests P. serotina and R

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