The influence of soil community density on plant-soil feedbacks: An important unknown in plant invasion

Abstract

Plant-soil feedbacks have been implicated in several successful plant invasions. However, simple identification of a feedback alone may not be enough to establish feedbacks as a mechanism behind plant invasion. I suggest that the relationship between soil community density and plant growth is an important unknown that strongly influences the impact of plant-soil feedbacks. I developed a mathematical model of two-plant species competition with plant-soil feedbacks. Each plant species obligately generates its own soil community. Each soil community then influences both plant species’ growth. The model allows for every possible combination of positive and negative effects of the soil community on plant growth. I model the relationship between soil community density and plant growth with non-linear functional responses. I use a range of plant competitive abilities and feedback scenarios from the literature to explore how different functional responses influence the outcome of plant competition. Sensitivity analysis of the model reveals that altering the relationship between feedback strength and soil community development can reverse the outcome of plant competition. Analysis of the model also shows how the importance of different feedback scenarios depends on the strength of plant competition.