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Changes in Different Trophic Levels of Litter-dwelling Macrofauna Associated with Giant Knotweed Invasion

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Abstract

The highly invasive giant knotweed (Reynoutria spp.) often displaces nettle (Urtica dioica) dominated stands in European floodplains. Urtica-dominated stands differ from the monospecific Reynoutria stands in plant species richness and stand structure. We thus hypothesize that Reynoutria invasion profoundly alters ecosystem structure and function, with negative effects cascading up through the food chain. We performed a paired sampling design in six sites belonging to two different locations and studied effects on the soil and the litter-dwelling fauna. Reynoutria stands differed in habitat structure and were characterized by decreased soil pH and potassium depletion. The faunal analysis is based on model groups of herbivore generalists (Gastropoda), detritivores (Isopoda and Diplopoda), and predators (Opiliones). The gastropod assemblages from Reynoutria stands were severely impoverished subsets of those from Urtica stands with reduced densities, species richness and diversity. In general, snails were more sensitive to Reynoutria invasion than slugs such as the invasive Arion 'lusitanicus’. Among detritivores, the abundance of the Isopoda decreased, whereas Diplopoda were not affected by Reynoutria invasion. Yet, the relative abundance of detritivores was significantly higher within the Reynoutria stands. Abundance, species richness and diversity of the predatory Opiliones were higher in the relatively sparse Reynoutria stands. We conclude that ecosystem changes associated with Reynoutria invasion are characterized by shifts from a plant-based to a detritus-based food chain and that Reynoutria invasion primarily enhances predators that profit from the simplified vegetation structure.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank Mrs. B. Schmitz (ULB Düsseldorf) for permission to sample the nature reserve at Urdenbach (AZ 68/21-ULB-SZ). We are also grateful to Katrin Thelen for assistance during field work and to Anna Herzog for measuring soil chemical characteristics. Also, we would like to thank Evan Siemann for supplying us with the paper of Hartley and others, and Subject-Matter Editor Christer Nilsson and three anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments on a former version of the manuscript.

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  1. Department for Terrestrial Ecology, Institute for Zoology, University of Cologne, Weyertal 119, 50923, Köln, Germany

    Heike Kappes, Rebecca Lay & Werner Topp

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  1. Heike Kappes
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  2. Rebecca Lay
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  3. Werner Topp
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Correspondence to Heike Kappes.

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Kappes, H., Lay, R. & Topp, W. Changes in Different Trophic Levels of Litter-dwelling Macrofauna Associated with Giant Knotweed Invasion. Ecosystems 10, 734–744 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-007-9052-9

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