Soil enzymes associated with carbon and nitrogen cycling in invaded and native secondary forests of northwestern Argentina
Aragón, Roxana (Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional)
Sardans i Galobart, Jordi (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Peñuelas, Josep (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Animal, de Biologia Vegetal i d'Ecologia)

Date:	2014
Abstract:	Background and aims: Alien success has frequently been associated with changes in the concentrations of soil nutrients. We aim to investigate the effects of plant invasion on soil nutrients, potential enzyme activity and litter elemental composition and stoichiometry - Methods: We compared stands of secondary forest invaded by Ligustrum lucidum and those dominated by natives, and performed litter chemical analyses on 3 native and 2 exotic tree species - Results: Soils of invaded sites had 20 and 30 % increase in β-glucosidase and alkaline phosphatase activity, higher Olsen-phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) concentrations and lower nitrogen (N) concentration and N:P, N:K and ammonium:Olsen-P ratios. Invaded and non-invaded sites differed in their overall nutrient composition and enzyme activity. Natives and exotics differed in nine of the 16 litter elemental composition and stoichiometry variables analyzed - Conclusions: The low N:P ratio in litter, the decrease in soil N in invaded stands and the low N concentration of exotics suggest that N is the limiting nutrient and that exotic success is related to higher N uptake and use efficiency. The higher investment in the acquisition of soil resources, higher nutrient uptake and use efficiency of limiting nutrients contribute to the success of exotics in this subtropical forest.
Grants:	European Commission 610028 Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad CGL2013-48074-P Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2014/SGR-274
Rights:	Tots els drets reservats.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió sotmesa a revisió
Subject:	Soil enzyme ; Nitrogen ; Phosphorus ; Litter ; Stoichiometry ; Ligustrum lucidum
Published in:	Plant and soil, Vol. 384 Núm. 1-2 (Nov. 2014) , p. 169-183, ISSN 1573-5036

DOI: 10.1007/s11104-014-2192-8

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > CREAF (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals) > Imbalance-P
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