Home > Research > Publications & Outputs > Invasive N-fixer impacts on litter decompositio...

Links

Text available via DOI:

View graph of relations

Invasive N-fixer impacts on litter decomposition driven by changes to soil properties not litter quality

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Published

Standard

Invasive N-fixer impacts on litter decomposition driven by changes to soil properties not litter quality. / Broadbent, Arthur A. D. ; Orwin, Kate H.; Peltzer, Duane A. et al.
In: Ecosystems, Vol. 20, No. 6, 30.09.2017, p. 1151-1163.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Harvard

APA

Vancouver

Broadbent AAD, Orwin KH, Peltzer DA, Dickie I, Mason NWH, Ostle NJ et al. Invasive N-fixer impacts on litter decomposition driven by changes to soil properties not litter quality. Ecosystems. 2017 Sept 30;20(6):1151-1163. Epub 2017 Jan 3. doi: 10.1007/s10021-016-0099-3

Author

Broadbent, Arthur A. D. ; Orwin, Kate H. ; Peltzer, Duane A. et al. / Invasive N-fixer impacts on litter decomposition driven by changes to soil properties not litter quality. In: Ecosystems. 2017 ; Vol. 20, No. 6. pp. 1151-1163.

Bibtex

@article{b483fba01e414549b3dfe52a5f9ae869,
title = "Invasive N-fixer impacts on litter decomposition driven by changes to soil properties not litter quality",
abstract = "Invasive nitrogen (N)-fixing plants often fundamentally change key ecosystem functions, particularly N-cycling. However, the consequences of this for litter decomposition, and the mechanisms that underpin ecosystem responses, remain poorly understood. Moreover, few studies have determined how nutrient pools and fluxes shift as invader density increases and whether these effects persist following invader removal, despite the importance of this for understanding the timing and magnitude of invader impacts in ecosystems. We tested how the decomposition rates of four co-occurring grass species were influenced by changes in the density of the globally invasive N-fixing shrub Cytisus scoparius L. (Scotch broom) and whether these effects persisted following invader removal. We used a series of laboratory decomposition assays to disentangle the roles of changes in both litter quality and soil properties associated with increases in broom density. Broom invasion created a soil environment, such as higher rates of net N-mineralisation, which retarded litter decomposition. Litter C/N ratios of co-occurring species decreased as broom density increased, yet this had no effect on decomposition rates. Most relationships between broom density and impacts were nonlinear; this could explain some of the reported variation in invasive species impacts across previous studies that do not account for invader density. Ecosystem properties only partially recovered following invader removal, as broom left a legacy of increased N-availability in both soils and litter. Our findings suggest that invasive N-fixer impacts on soil properties, such as N-availability, were more important than changes in litter quality in altering decomposition rates of co-occurring species.",
keywords = "abundance–impact curves, ecosystem legacy effects, density gradient, invasive plant removal, soil microbial community, nitrogen mineralisation rate, Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius)",
author = "Broadbent, {Arthur A. D.} and Orwin, {Kate H.} and Peltzer, {Duane A.} and Ian Dickie and Mason, {Norman W. H.} and Ostle, {Nicholas John} and Stevens, {Carly Joanne}",
note = "{\textcopyright} 2016 The Author(s). This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com",
year = "2017",
month = sep,
day = "30",
doi = "10.1007/s10021-016-0099-3",
language = "English",
volume = "20",
pages = "1151--1163",
journal = "Ecosystems",
issn = "1432-9840",
publisher = "Springer New York LLC",
number = "6",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Invasive N-fixer impacts on litter decomposition driven by changes to soil properties not litter quality

AU - Broadbent, Arthur A. D.

AU - Orwin, Kate H.

AU - Peltzer, Duane A.

AU - Dickie, Ian

AU - Mason, Norman W. H.

AU - Ostle, Nicholas John

AU - Stevens, Carly Joanne

N1 - © 2016 The Author(s). This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com

PY - 2017/9/30

Y1 - 2017/9/30

N2 - Invasive nitrogen (N)-fixing plants often fundamentally change key ecosystem functions, particularly N-cycling. However, the consequences of this for litter decomposition, and the mechanisms that underpin ecosystem responses, remain poorly understood. Moreover, few studies have determined how nutrient pools and fluxes shift as invader density increases and whether these effects persist following invader removal, despite the importance of this for understanding the timing and magnitude of invader impacts in ecosystems. We tested how the decomposition rates of four co-occurring grass species were influenced by changes in the density of the globally invasive N-fixing shrub Cytisus scoparius L. (Scotch broom) and whether these effects persisted following invader removal. We used a series of laboratory decomposition assays to disentangle the roles of changes in both litter quality and soil properties associated with increases in broom density. Broom invasion created a soil environment, such as higher rates of net N-mineralisation, which retarded litter decomposition. Litter C/N ratios of co-occurring species decreased as broom density increased, yet this had no effect on decomposition rates. Most relationships between broom density and impacts were nonlinear; this could explain some of the reported variation in invasive species impacts across previous studies that do not account for invader density. Ecosystem properties only partially recovered following invader removal, as broom left a legacy of increased N-availability in both soils and litter. Our findings suggest that invasive N-fixer impacts on soil properties, such as N-availability, were more important than changes in litter quality in altering decomposition rates of co-occurring species.

AB - Invasive nitrogen (N)-fixing plants often fundamentally change key ecosystem functions, particularly N-cycling. However, the consequences of this for litter decomposition, and the mechanisms that underpin ecosystem responses, remain poorly understood. Moreover, few studies have determined how nutrient pools and fluxes shift as invader density increases and whether these effects persist following invader removal, despite the importance of this for understanding the timing and magnitude of invader impacts in ecosystems. We tested how the decomposition rates of four co-occurring grass species were influenced by changes in the density of the globally invasive N-fixing shrub Cytisus scoparius L. (Scotch broom) and whether these effects persisted following invader removal. We used a series of laboratory decomposition assays to disentangle the roles of changes in both litter quality and soil properties associated with increases in broom density. Broom invasion created a soil environment, such as higher rates of net N-mineralisation, which retarded litter decomposition. Litter C/N ratios of co-occurring species decreased as broom density increased, yet this had no effect on decomposition rates. Most relationships between broom density and impacts were nonlinear; this could explain some of the reported variation in invasive species impacts across previous studies that do not account for invader density. Ecosystem properties only partially recovered following invader removal, as broom left a legacy of increased N-availability in both soils and litter. Our findings suggest that invasive N-fixer impacts on soil properties, such as N-availability, were more important than changes in litter quality in altering decomposition rates of co-occurring species.

KW - abundance–impact curves

KW - ecosystem legacy effects

KW - density gradient

KW - invasive plant removal

KW - soil microbial community

KW - nitrogen mineralisation rate

KW - Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius)

U2 - 10.1007/s10021-016-0099-3

DO - 10.1007/s10021-016-0099-3

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85008192218

VL - 20

SP - 1151

EP - 1163

JO - Ecosystems

JF - Ecosystems

SN - 1432-9840

IS - 6

ER -