Journal Article

Direct and Indirect Effects of Invasive Plants on Soil Chemistry and Ecosystem Function

Callaway, Ragan M, Weidenhamer, Jeffrey D

2010

Overview

Invasive plants have a multitude of impacts on plant communities through their direct and indirect effects on soil chemistry and ecosystem function. For example, plants modify the soil environment through root exudates that affect soil structure, and mobilize and/or chelate nutrients. The long-term impact of litter and root exudates can modify soil nutrient pools, and there is evidence that invasive plant species may alter nutrient cycles differently from native species. The effects of plants on ecosystem biogeochemistry may be caused by differences in leaf tissue nutrient stoichiometry or secondary metabolites, although evidence for the importance of allelochemicals in driving these processes is lacking. Some invasive species may gain a competitive advantage through the release of compounds or combinations of compounds that are unique to the invaded community—the “novel weapons hypothesis.” Invasive plants also can exert profound impact on plant communities indirectly through the herbicides used to control them. Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in the world, often is used to help control invasive weeds, and generally is considered to have minimal environmental impacts. Most studies show little to no effect of glyphosate and other herbicides on soil microbial communities. However, herbicide applications can reduce or promote rhizobium nodulation and mycorrhiza formation. Herbicide drift can affect the growth of non-target plants, and glyphosate and other herbicides can impact significantly the secondary chemistry of plants at sublethal doses. In summary, the literature indicates that invasive species can alter the biogeochemistry of ecosystems, that secondary metabolites released by invasive species may play important roles in soil chemistry as well as plant-plant and plant-microbe interactions, and that the herbicides used to control invasive species can impact plant chemistry and ecosystems in ways that have yet to be fully explored.

• Publisher: New York : Springer-Verlag,Springer-Verlag,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Agriculture / Allelochemicals / allelopathy / analogs & derivatives / analysis / Animal and plant ecology / Animal, plant and microbial ecology / Biochemistry / biogeochemical cycles / Biogeochemistry / Biological and medical sciences / Biological Microscopy / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Botany / direct effects / Ecological function / ecological processes and phenomena / Ecology / Ecosystem / Ecosystems / Entomology / Environmental impact / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / General aspects / Glycine / Glycine - analogs & derivatives / Glycine - metabolism / Glyphosate / Herbicides / Herbicides - metabolism / Indigenous species / Invasive plants / Invasive species / Life Sciences / literature reviews / metabolism / Metabolites / Microbial activity / Nonnative species / novel weapons hypothesis / Nutrient cycles / Plant communities / plant exudates / plant litter / Plant species / Plant tissues / Plant Weeds / Plant Weeds - metabolism / Plants / Plants - metabolism / Review Article / Rhizobium / Secondary metabolites / Soil / Soil - analysis / Soil chemistry / Soil environment / Soil nutrients / Soil sciences / Soil structure / Synecology