Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026
10:20
Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
Published on: March 12, 2013
The native-invasive balance: implications for nutrient cycling in ecosystems
Jonathan E Hickman1, Isabel W Ashton, Katherine M Howe
1Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA. jeh2179@columbia.edu
Oecologia
|February 28, 2013
Summary
Invasive plant litter decomposes faster than native litter, but mixing them slows decomposition. This suggests invasive species may have less impact on nutrient cycling early in an invasion.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
- Botany
Background:
- Invasive species significantly alter ecosystems.
- Leaf litter decomposition is a key process in nutrient cycling.
- Understanding litter decomposition dynamics is crucial for predicting ecosystem impacts of invasive species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the decomposition rates of native and invasive leaf litter.
- To determine the effects of mixing native and invasive litter on decomposition.
- To assess the implications for nutrient cycling and ecosystem impacts of invasive species.
Main Methods:
- Single- and mixed-litter experiments were conducted in a hardwood forest.
- Leaf litter from phylogenetically paired native and invasive species was used.
- Decomposition was measured by mass loss and nitrogen changes over one year.
Main Results:
- Invasive leaf litter exhibited lower carbon:nitrogen ratios and faster decomposition (greater mass and nitrogen loss) than native litter.
- Mixing native and invasive litter resulted in slower decomposition rates compared to unmixed invasive litter.
- Non-additive effects were observed when mixing native and invasive litters, indicating complex interactions.
Conclusions:
- Invasive species litter decomposes faster, but this effect is moderated when mixed with native litter.
- The non-additive decomposition suggests simple additive models may not predict invasion impacts.
- Early invasion stages may see limited nutrient cycling impacts if native litter remains abundant.
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