How does an invasive Heracleum sosnowskyi affect soil nematode communities in natural conditions?

Abstract

SummaryWe analysed the effect of the invasive perennial plant Heracleum sosnowskyi on soil nematode communities and diversity, and plant species composition, by comparing invaded and non-invaded (control) areas in natural conditions. Invasion of H. sosnowskyi caused significant shifts in plant species composition, which subsequently modified nematode assemblages. Stress-sensitive omnivores, fungivores and root-biomass-dependent obligate plant parasites best reflected changes in soil nematode communities under the influence of H. sosnowskyi invasion. The negative effect of H. sosnowskyi was most evident on Aphelenchus, Tylencholaimus, Geocenamus, Helicotylenchus, Pratylenchus, Tylenchorhynchus and Aporcelaimellus. Our results indicate that significant changes in the herbaceous layer after H. sosnowskyi invasion in ecosystems where H. sosnowskyi eventually became dominant impacted soil nematode communities but did not affect nematode diversity. This was in contrast to the habitats where a solitary plant of H. sosnowskyi grew and no significant changes in nematode communities were observed.

Long-Term Giant Hogweed Invasion Contributes to the Structural Changes of Soil Nematofauna

“…Therefore, we can only compare the community structure of nematodes inhabiting Hm invaded plots with communities in uninvaded plots located nearby, hoping that both plots had similar plant and nematode composition before the Hm entry. Several previous studies by our research group on the related species H. sosnowskyi carried out in various types of habitats where invasion took place in Lithuania [34], Poland [35], and Russia [36], however, revealed significant shifts in plant species composition, which subsequently modified nematode assemblages and trophic structures. The present study (1) investigated nematode species diversity, abundance, nematode trophic group composition, and nematode food web characteristics in the H. mantegazzianum invaded and related uninvaded riverbank grassland, and (2) evaluated whether long-term H. mantegazzianum invasion affected nematode communities.…”

Impact of the invasive plant Solidago gigantea on soil nematodes in a semi-natural grassland and a temperate broadleaved mixed forest

“…We assumed that invasive plant S. gigantea would decrease both nematode abundance and diversity, which have been reported previously in surveys with some other invasive plants, e.g. Heracleum sosnowskyi (Renčo & Baležentiené, 2015; Renčo et al ., 2019), Spartina alterniflora (Zhang et al ., 2018) or Bromus tectorum (Belnap et al ., 2005), but our hypothesis was only partly supported. Nematode diversity was lower at the sites invaded by S. gigantea than at both uninvaded grassland and forests ecosystems.…”

“…The value of SI can also specify the possibility of control of predators, but in our study did not differ significantly between invaded and uninvaded sites or ecosystems, confirming the findings by Renčo et al . (2019).…”

“…A similar value of CI under invasive H. sosnowskyi in the several different ecosystems with a monoculture was observed by Renčo et al . (2019). The BI provides information about the relative proportion of the basal (cp2) component of all nematodes present (Berkelmans et al ., 2003) and was higher at the grassland than the forest sites, but did not differ significantly between the invaded and uninvaded sites.…”

“…Plants, as primary producers and providers of resources to soil food webs, are of vital importance for the composition, structure and functioning of soil communities, including nematodes (De Deyn et al ., 2004). So far, the impact of invasive plants on soil free living and plant parasitic nematodes has received little attention (Chen et al ., 2007; Renčo & Baležentiené, 2015; Renčo et al ., 2019), and to our knowledge only one recent study from Germany is available about the impact of invasive S. gigantea on soil nematofauna (Quist et al ., 2014). Solidago gigantea as well as other invasive species are known to invade a wide range of ecosystems which can have specific community compositions of soil nematodes.…”