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The roles of biotic resistance and nitrogen deposition in regulating non-native understory plant diversity

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Abstract

Understanding the mechanisms that allow for plant invasions is important for both ecologists and land managers, due to both the environmental and economic impacts of native biodiversity losses. We conducted an observational field study in 2008 to examine the relationship between native and non-native forest understory plant species and to investigate the influence of soil nitrogen (N) on plant community richness and diversity. In 2009, we conducted a companion fertilization experiment to investigate how various forms of N deposition (inorganic and organic) influenced native and non-native species richness and diversity. We found that native species richness and diversity were negatively correlated with 1) non-native species richness and diversity and 2) higher total soil inorganic N. In the deposition experiment, adding organic N fertilizers decreased native richness and diversity compared to inorganic N fertilizers. Together, these results indicate that increasing soil N can be detrimental to native species; however, native species richness and diversity may counteract the N-stimulation of non-native species. Furthermore, the negative effects of organic N deposition on native plants may be just as strong, if not stronger, than the effects of inorganic N deposition.

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Acknowledgements

RJ was supported by a Villanova University Research Fellowship and a Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research (GIAR) during a portion of the time this research was conducted. We thank Villanova University and Sigma Xi for their funding and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for permitting us to work at Ridley Creek State Park. Gerrad Jones, Anastasia Orkwiszewski, Roger Shaw, and Antonio Pullano assisted with field and lab work. Ann Rhoads assisted with plant identification. We thank Kelman Wieder, Adam Langley, Lorae Simpson, Shirley Wang, Kate Shepherd, Kate Devine, and Antonio Pullano for helpful comments on experimental design and manuscript development. Lastly, we thank the anonymous reviewers whose comments and suggestions helped us to refine this manuscript.

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  1. Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Group, University of Nevada, Reno, 1000 Valley Road, Reno, NV, 89512, USA

    Rachel O. Jones

  2. Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA

    Samantha K. Chapman

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  1. Rachel O. Jones
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Correspondence to Rachel O. Jones.

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Jones, R.O., Chapman, S.K. The roles of biotic resistance and nitrogen deposition in regulating non-native understory plant diversity. Plant Soil 345, 257–269 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-011-0778-y

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