Soil conditioning effects of Phragmites australis on native wetland plant seedling survival

Ellen V. Crocker; Eric B. Nelson; Bernd Blossey

doi:10.1002/ece3.3024

Soil conditioning effects of Phragmites australis on native wetland plant seedling survival

Ellen V. Crocker, Eric B. Nelson, Bernd Blossey

Forestry and Natural Resources

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Interactions between introduced plants and soils they colonize are central to invasive species success in many systems. Belowground biotic and abiotic changes can influence the success of introduced species as well as their native competitors. All plants alter soil properties after colonization but, in the case of many invasive plant species, it is unclear whether the strength and direction of these soil conditioning effects are due to plant traits, plant origin, or local population characteristics and site conditions in the invaded range. Phragmites australis in North America exists as a mix of populations of different evolutionary origin. Populations of endemic native Phragmites australis americanus are declining, while introduced European populations are important wetland invaders. We assessed soil conditioning effects of native and non-native P. australis populations on early and late seedling survival of native and introduced wetland plants. We further used a soil biocide treatment to assess the role of soil fungi on seedling survival. Survival of seedlings in soils colonized by P. australis was either unaffected or negatively affected; no species showed improved survival in P. australis-conditioned soils. Population of P. australis was a significant factor explaining the response of seedlings, but origin (native or non-native) was not a significant factor. Synthesis: Our results highlight the importance of phylogenetic control when assessing impacts of invasive species to avoid conflating general plant traits with mechanisms of invasive success. Both native (noninvasive) and non-native (invasive) P. australis populations reduced seedling survival of competing plant species. Because soil legacy effects of native and non-native P. australis are similar, this study suggests that the close phylogenetic relationship between the two populations, and not the invasive status of introduced P. australis, is more relevant to their soil-mediated impact on other plant species.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	5571-5579
Number of pages	9
Journal	Ecology and Evolution
Volume	7
Issue number	15
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.3024
State	Published - Aug 2017

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Funding information Funding for this work (in part) was provided by project NYSG R/CMB-33 funded under award NA07OAR4170010 from the National Sea Grant College Program of the US Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to the Research Foundation of the State University of New York on behalf of New York Sea Grant (http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/) and the New York Department of Transportation. The statements, findings, conclusions, views, and recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any of those organizations. We thank Laura Martin, who conducted much of the common garden work, and without whom this portion of the study would not have been possible. Jeremy Dietrich, Travis Vachon, Mary Ann Karp, Alfonso Doucette, Ting Yuet, and Shauna-Kay Rainford for technical assistance, Victoria Nuzzo for help in determining appropriate plant species, and Andrea D?valos and the Cornell University Statistical Consulting Group for statistical guidance. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation and the Nature Conservancy issued research permits to the field sites we used in Savannah NY.

Funding Information:
Funding information Funding for this work (in part) was provided by project NYSG R/CMB-33 funded under award NA07OAR4170010 from the National Sea Grant College Program of the US Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to the Research Foundation of the State University of New York on behalf of New York Sea Grant (http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/) and the New York Department of Transportation. The statements, findings, conclusions, views, and recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any of those organizations. We thank Laura Martin, who conducted much of the common garden work, and without whom this portion of the study would not have been possible. Jeremy Dietrich, Travis Vachon, Mary Ann Karp, Alfonso Doucette, Ting Yuet, and Shauna-Kay Rainford for technical assistance, Victoria Nuzzo for help in determining appropriate plant species, and Andrea Dávalos and the Cornell University Statistical Consulting Group for statistical guidance. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation and the Nature Conservancy issued research permits to the field sites we used in Savannah NY.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Keywords

invasion ecology
plant traits
plant–soil (belowground) interactions
plant–soil feedbacks
seedling survival
soil conditioning
wetlands

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Ecology
Nature and Landscape Conservation

Access to Document

10.1002/ece3.3024

Cite this

@article{71de888348b248d89c32789b2a4cc06c,

title = "Soil conditioning effects of Phragmites australis on native wetland plant seedling survival",

abstract = "Interactions between introduced plants and soils they colonize are central to invasive species success in many systems. Belowground biotic and abiotic changes can influence the success of introduced species as well as their native competitors. All plants alter soil properties after colonization but, in the case of many invasive plant species, it is unclear whether the strength and direction of these soil conditioning effects are due to plant traits, plant origin, or local population characteristics and site conditions in the invaded range. Phragmites australis in North America exists as a mix of populations of different evolutionary origin. Populations of endemic native Phragmites australis americanus are declining, while introduced European populations are important wetland invaders. We assessed soil conditioning effects of native and non-native P. australis populations on early and late seedling survival of native and introduced wetland plants. We further used a soil biocide treatment to assess the role of soil fungi on seedling survival. Survival of seedlings in soils colonized by P. australis was either unaffected or negatively affected; no species showed improved survival in P. australis-conditioned soils. Population of P. australis was a significant factor explaining the response of seedlings, but origin (native or non-native) was not a significant factor. Synthesis: Our results highlight the importance of phylogenetic control when assessing impacts of invasive species to avoid conflating general plant traits with mechanisms of invasive success. Both native (noninvasive) and non-native (invasive) P. australis populations reduced seedling survival of competing plant species. Because soil legacy effects of native and non-native P. australis are similar, this study suggests that the close phylogenetic relationship between the two populations, and not the invasive status of introduced P. australis, is more relevant to their soil-mediated impact on other plant species.",

keywords = "invasion ecology, plant traits, plant–soil (belowground) interactions, plant–soil feedbacks, seedling survival, soil conditioning, wetlands",

author = "Crocker, {Ellen V.} and Nelson, {Eric B.} and Bernd Blossey",

note = "Funding Information: Funding information Funding for this work (in part) was provided by project NYSG R/CMB-33 funded under award NA07OAR4170010 from the National Sea Grant College Program of the US Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to the Research Foundation of the State University of New York on behalf of New York Sea Grant (http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/) and the New York Department of Transportation. The statements, findings, conclusions, views, and recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any of those organizations. We thank Laura Martin, who conducted much of the common garden work, and without whom this portion of the study would not have been possible. Jeremy Dietrich, Travis Vachon, Mary Ann Karp, Alfonso Doucette, Ting Yuet, and Shauna-Kay Rainford for technical assistance, Victoria Nuzzo for help in determining appropriate plant species, and Andrea D?valos and the Cornell University Statistical Consulting Group for statistical guidance. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation and the Nature Conservancy issued research permits to the field sites we used in Savannah NY. Funding Information: Funding information Funding for this work (in part) was provided by project NYSG R/CMB-33 funded under award NA07OAR4170010 from the National Sea Grant College Program of the US Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to the Research Foundation of the State University of New York on behalf of New York Sea Grant (http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/) and the New York Department of Transportation. The statements, findings, conclusions, views, and recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any of those organizations. We thank Laura Martin, who conducted much of the common garden work, and without whom this portion of the study would not have been possible. Jeremy Dietrich, Travis Vachon, Mary Ann Karp, Alfonso Doucette, Ting Yuet, and Shauna-Kay Rainford for technical assistance, Victoria Nuzzo for help in determining appropriate plant species, and Andrea D{\'a}valos and the Cornell University Statistical Consulting Group for statistical guidance. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation and the Nature Conservancy issued research permits to the field sites we used in Savannah NY. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",

year = "2017",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1002/ece3.3024",

language = "English",

volume = "7",

pages = "5571--5579",

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T1 - Soil conditioning effects of Phragmites australis on native wetland plant seedling survival

AU - Crocker, Ellen V.

AU - Nelson, Eric B.

AU - Blossey, Bernd

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PY - 2017/8

Y1 - 2017/8

N2 - Interactions between introduced plants and soils they colonize are central to invasive species success in many systems. Belowground biotic and abiotic changes can influence the success of introduced species as well as their native competitors. All plants alter soil properties after colonization but, in the case of many invasive plant species, it is unclear whether the strength and direction of these soil conditioning effects are due to plant traits, plant origin, or local population characteristics and site conditions in the invaded range. Phragmites australis in North America exists as a mix of populations of different evolutionary origin. Populations of endemic native Phragmites australis americanus are declining, while introduced European populations are important wetland invaders. We assessed soil conditioning effects of native and non-native P. australis populations on early and late seedling survival of native and introduced wetland plants. We further used a soil biocide treatment to assess the role of soil fungi on seedling survival. Survival of seedlings in soils colonized by P. australis was either unaffected or negatively affected; no species showed improved survival in P. australis-conditioned soils. Population of P. australis was a significant factor explaining the response of seedlings, but origin (native or non-native) was not a significant factor. Synthesis: Our results highlight the importance of phylogenetic control when assessing impacts of invasive species to avoid conflating general plant traits with mechanisms of invasive success. Both native (noninvasive) and non-native (invasive) P. australis populations reduced seedling survival of competing plant species. Because soil legacy effects of native and non-native P. australis are similar, this study suggests that the close phylogenetic relationship between the two populations, and not the invasive status of introduced P. australis, is more relevant to their soil-mediated impact on other plant species.

AB - Interactions between introduced plants and soils they colonize are central to invasive species success in many systems. Belowground biotic and abiotic changes can influence the success of introduced species as well as their native competitors. All plants alter soil properties after colonization but, in the case of many invasive plant species, it is unclear whether the strength and direction of these soil conditioning effects are due to plant traits, plant origin, or local population characteristics and site conditions in the invaded range. Phragmites australis in North America exists as a mix of populations of different evolutionary origin. Populations of endemic native Phragmites australis americanus are declining, while introduced European populations are important wetland invaders. We assessed soil conditioning effects of native and non-native P. australis populations on early and late seedling survival of native and introduced wetland plants. We further used a soil biocide treatment to assess the role of soil fungi on seedling survival. Survival of seedlings in soils colonized by P. australis was either unaffected or negatively affected; no species showed improved survival in P. australis-conditioned soils. Population of P. australis was a significant factor explaining the response of seedlings, but origin (native or non-native) was not a significant factor. Synthesis: Our results highlight the importance of phylogenetic control when assessing impacts of invasive species to avoid conflating general plant traits with mechanisms of invasive success. Both native (noninvasive) and non-native (invasive) P. australis populations reduced seedling survival of competing plant species. Because soil legacy effects of native and non-native P. australis are similar, this study suggests that the close phylogenetic relationship between the two populations, and not the invasive status of introduced P. australis, is more relevant to their soil-mediated impact on other plant species.

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KW - plant traits

KW - plant–soil (belowground) interactions

KW - plant–soil feedbacks

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KW - soil conditioning

KW - wetlands

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Soil conditioning effects of Phragmites australis on native wetland plant seedling survival

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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