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Differences in nitrogen use strategies between native and exotic tree species: predicting impacts on invaded ecosystems

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Abstract

Background and aim

Exotic plant species can alter the nitrogen cycle in invaded ecosystems. We assess the differences in nitrogen use strategies and litter production and dynamics among three native riparian trees (Fraxinus angustifolia, Populus alba and Ulmus minor) and three co-occurring exotics (Ailanthus altissima, Robinia pseudoacacia and Ulmus pumila), currently spreading throughout river banks in inner Spain. We aim to predict the ecological consequences of a replacement of the natives by the exotics.

Methods

We compared the leaf lifespan, nitrogen resorption efficiency in leaves, nitrogen mean residence time, amount and timing of litter production and amount of nitrogen returned to soils between these native and exotic species.

Results

We found differences among species in all the variables measured, but not between native or exotic origins. Species were ranked from the most to the least conservative nitrogen use strategy as follows: U. pumila was the most conservative species, followed by the three natives (with an intermediate strategy), A. altissima and finally by the nitrogen-fixer R. pseudoacacia. The studied exotic species would produce contrasting impacts on the nitrogen cycle upon invasion.

Conclusions

On the basis of our results, we predict little impacts on the nitrogen cycle if U. pumila dominates the landscape. Despite being nitrogen-fixer R. pseudocacia would not increase soil nitrogen availability in the study area due to its low litter production and litter decomposition rates. In contrast, we predict an increase in nitrogen availability of soils upon A. altissima invasion, as this species produces a high amount of nitrogen rich and labile litter. This study offers a striking example of the contingencies involved in predicting the ecosystem impacts of exotic plant invasion.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the projects CGL2007-61873/BOS, CGL2010-16388/BOS of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and POII10-0179-4700 of the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha. Noelia González-Muñoz was supported by a grant of the SMSI (FPI fellowship, BES-2008-002457) and by a grant of Alcalá University. We are grateful to the support of the REMEDINAL-2 network (Comunidad de Madrid). We acknowledge Rosendo Elvira and the staff of the Alcalá University Botanical Garden for their support to perform this experiment. We thank Natalia Fierro Brunnenmeister and Evelyn Beliën for her valuable help with the plant measurements. We are thankful to Melchor Maestro for conducting the cellulose analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain

    N. González-Muñoz & P. Castro-Díez

  2. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA

    I. M. Parker

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  1. N. González-Muñoz
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  3. I. M. Parker
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Correspondence to N. González-Muñoz.

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González-Muñoz, N., Castro-Díez, P. & Parker, I.M. Differences in nitrogen use strategies between native and exotic tree species: predicting impacts on invaded ecosystems. Plant Soil 363, 319–329 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-012-1329-x

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