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Effects of non-native tree plantations on the diversity of understory plants and soil macroinvertebrates in the Loess Plateau of China

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Abstract

Aims

Non-native trees are widely used to prevent soil erosion in the Loess Plateau. We aim to investigate the effects of non-native tree plantations on the communities of understory plants and soil macroinvertebrates.

Methods

The soil, understory plants and soil macroinvertebrates were sampled in non-native Robinia pseudoacacia (RP) and Populus ×canadensis (PC) stands, and native Armeniaca sibirica (AS) stands.

Results

Abundance and richness of understory plants were significantly greatest in the RP stands. The macroinvertebrates collected belonged to 13 orders across all stands. At the community level, richness did not differ among the stand types, but the abundance was significantly greatest in the PC stands. At the functional group level, phytophages and detritivores preferred the PC stands, whereas predators preferred the RP stands. The generalist macroinvertebrate abundance was significantly greatest in the PC stands. Moreover, the community composition of understory plants clearly differed among the stand types; that of soil macroinvertebrates in the PC stands was separated from the other stand types, which was mediated by environmental variables, especially the soil temperature and soil organic carbon.

Conclusions

Non-native tree plantations had positive effects on the overall abundance of understory plants and soil macroinvertebrates, but their effects on functional groups were inconsistent, associated with tree identity. The selection of non-native tree should be considered in term of multiple trophic levels, if afforestation has biodiversity objectives.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (grant No 2016YFC0501602), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant No 41671271), and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2018 M641491). We thank reviewers for helpful comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China

    Yan Zhu, Yafeng Wang & Liding Chen

  2. Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    Yafeng Wang

  3. College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Liding Chen

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  1. Yan Zhu
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  2. Yafeng Wang
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Correspondence to Yafeng Wang.

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Zhu, Y., Wang, Y. & Chen, L. Effects of non-native tree plantations on the diversity of understory plants and soil macroinvertebrates in the Loess Plateau of China. Plant Soil 446, 357–368 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-04336-y

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