Abstract
We studied the effects of invasions by three plant species: Reynoutria japonica, Rudbeckia laciniata, and Solidago gigantea, on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities in habitats located within and outside river valleys. Arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization, AMF abundance and species richness in soils were assessed in adjacent plots with invaders and native vegetation. We also quantified the performance (expressed as shoot mass, chlorophyll fluorescence, and the concentration of elements in shoots) of two common, mycorrhizal native plants, Plantago lanceolata and Trifolium repens, grown in these soils. The invasions of R. japonica, R. laciniata, and S. gigantea influenced AMF communities compared to native vegetation, but the changes depended on the mycorrhizal status of invaders. The effects of non-mycorrhizal R. japonica were the most pronounced. Its invasion reduced AMF abundance and species richness. In the plots of both mycorrhizal plants, R. laciniata and S. gigantea, we observed decreased AMF species richness in comparison to native vegetation. The AMF community alterations could be due to (i) depletion of organic C inputs to AMF in the case of R. japonica, (ii) plant secondary metabolites that directly inhibit or selectively stimulate AMF species, or (iii) changes in soil physicochemical properties induced by invasions. The effect of invasion on AMF abundance and species richness did not generally differ between valley and outside-valley habitats. The invasions affected photosynthetic performance and the concentrations of elements in the shoots of P. lanceolata or T. repens. However, the directions and magnitude of their response depended on both species identity and the mycorrhizal status of invaders.
Highlights
Biological invasions, next to the habitat changes caused by human activity, are the second most important factor threatening biodiversity at the species, biotope, and landscape levels (Mirek 2010)
We showed that R. japonica did not eliminate arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) from invaded soils as both some levels of AMF-phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) marker and spore presence were detected under this species, as well as native plants grown subsequently in these soils had AMF colonization
The impact of R. laciniata and S. gigantea invasions on AMF communities as well as R. japonica on AMF species richness was reported for the first time
Summary
Biological invasions, next to the habitat changes caused by human activity, are the second most important factor threatening biodiversity at the species, biotope, and landscape levels (Mirek 2010). The spread of alien plant species significantly affects abundance and diversity of soil microorganisms, including the most widespread and important plant symbionts, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) (Mummey and Rillig 2006; Callaway et al 2008; Vogelsang and Bever 2009; Tanner and Gange 2013). These fungi colonize the roots of ca. The changes in AMF abundance and species richness caused by alien plants can be detrimental to native plant species and accelerate plant invasions (Reinhart and Callaway 2006; Shah et al 2009).
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