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Immobilizing nitrogen to control plant invasion.
Laura G Perry1, Dana M Blumenthal, Thomas A Monaco
1Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA. Laura.Perry@colostate.edu
Oecologia
|April 14, 2010
Summary
Lowering soil nitrogen (N) availability can help control invasive plants. While several methods show promise, limiting disturbances that increase N is key to preventing weed invasions.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
- Restoration Ecology
Background:
- Increased soil nitrogen (N) availability often promotes plant invasions.
- Controlling invasive species is crucial for ecosystem health and biodiversity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review management approaches for lowering soil N availability to control plant invasions.
- To assess the efficacy of various methods in reducing N levels and favoring native species.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on management strategies: soil C addition, burning, grazing, topsoil removal, biomass removal, and establishing low-N plants.
- Analysis of mechanisms: N immobilization, N removal, and effects on plant community composition.
Main Results:
- Soil C addition and topsoil removal are effective but costly or destructive.
- Less intensive methods (burning, grazing, biomass removal, low-N plants) can lower N by stimulating immobilization if they favor high C:N ratio plants.
- Most methods are better at immobilizing N than removing it from the ecosystem.
Conclusions:
- Lowering soil N is a promising strategy for managing plant invasions.
- Effective N reduction is challenging, especially with high N deposition or runoff.
- Limiting disturbances that increase soil N availability is the most sustainable approach to prevent invasions by nitrophilic weeds.
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