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Interactions between tall oatgrass invasion and soil nitrogen cycling
Eve-Lyn S Hinckley1,2, Hannah R Miller3,4, Ann Lezberg5
1Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Complex, 4001 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA. eve.hinckley@colorado.edu.
Oecologia
|June 7, 2022
Summary
Invasive plants like tall oatgrass can accelerate nitrogen cycling in foothills ecosystems. The impact of this invasion on nitrogen transformations varies significantly by location and season.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
- Soil Science
Background:
- Elevated nitrogen inputs can promote invasive plant species.
- Invasive plants can alter soil nitrogen pools and ecosystem functions.
- Tall oatgrass (Arrhenatherum elatius) is a prevalent invasive species in Western US grasslands.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between soil nitrogen cycling and tall oatgrass invasion.
- To examine differences in soil nitrogen transformations, inorganic nitrogen pools, and vegetation characteristics between invaded and uninvaded plots.
- To understand how invasion dynamics vary across different sites and seasons.
Main Methods:
- Field study comparing invaded and uninvaded plots at three sites.
- Measurements of soil nitrogen transformations (net N mineralization).
- Analysis of inorganic N pools, soil moisture, and aboveground biomass C:N ratios across summer and autumn seasons.
Main Results:
- Invasion by tall oatgrass significantly affected net N mineralization rates, with effects dependent on site and season.
- Site significantly influenced soil moisture and aboveground biomass C:N ratios.
- Interactions between invasion and site were significant for ammonium pools, indicating location-specific impacts.
Conclusions:
- Tall oatgrass invasion is associated with altered nitrogen cycling in foothills ecosystems.
- The specific effects of invasion on nitrogen cycling are context-dependent, varying by location and season.
- Findings contribute to understanding shifts in the nitrogen cycle under anthropogenic pressures in grassland ecosystems.
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