Effects of Carpobrotus edulis invasion on main litter and soil characteristics in backdune and rocky coastal habitats with oceanic climate

Background and aims Carpobrotus edulis invades coastal areas throughout the world, decreasing plant diversity and hampering restoration efforts by changing soil properties. Some of its effects on soils are known but there is a knowledge gap about the effects in rocky areas and micronutrients that we...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plant and soil 2018-04, Vol.425 (1/2), p.363-374
Main Authors: Vieites-Blanco, Cristina, González-Prieto, Serafín J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aluminum
Analysis
Angiosperms
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Carpobrotus edulis
Coastal ecology
Coastal zone
Cobalt
Copper
Dunes
Ecology
Humid climates
Invasiveness
Iron
Life Sciences
Litter
Magnesium
Micronutrients
Nickel
Physiological aspects
Plant diversity
Plant Physiology
Plant Sciences
Regular Article
Restoration
Soil acidity
Soil characteristics
Soil chemistry
Soil depth
Soil pH
Soil properties
Soil Science & Conservation
Substrates
Zinc
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Summary:Background and aims Carpobrotus edulis invades coastal areas throughout the world, decreasing plant diversity and hampering restoration efforts by changing soil properties. Some of its effects on soils are known but there is a knowledge gap about the effects in rocky areas and micronutrients that we aimed to fill for dunes and rocky habitats with temperate-humid climate. Methods We compared invaded vs non-invaded paired plots in two dune and two rocky areas by measuring 18 variables in litter and 24 in soils (0–5 and 5–10 cm layers). Results Invasion effects increased with the accumulated alien necromass, decreased with soil depth and are substrate-dependent: soil pH, AI, Fe and P increased in dunes, while these variables and Mg, Cu and Zn decreased in rocky sites. Carpobrotus necromass is richer in Mg and Ca and poorer in AI, Co, Cu, Fe, Ni and Zn than native necromass. Conclusions Invader effects on soils are largely mediated by its necromass, which has contrasting characteristics with the autochthonous necromass. Carpobrotus edulis ability to discriminate against Al uptake, while favouring Mg and Ca uptake, and its lower requirement (or higher resorption) of key micronutrients (Co, Cu, Fe, Ni, Zn) than native vegetation could partly explain its invasiveness.
ISSN:0032-079X
1573-5036
DOI:10.1007/s11104-018-3598-5