Impacts of Invasive Plants on Soil Microbial Communities

Invasive plant species can profoundly reshape soil microbial communities by altering nutrient availability, soil chemistry and the balance of microbial functional groups. Through changes in leaf litter quality, root exudate composition and competitive displacement of native vegetation, invaders may reduce microbial diversity in some contexts while enriching particular taxa in others. These shifts can cascade to affect carbon and nitrogen cycling, soil structure and the resilience of native plant communities. The idiosyncratic nature of plant–microbe interactions means that each invader may drive unique patterns of microbial change, yet common themes include modified enzyme activities, altered abundance of nitrogen‐cycling organisms and the emergence of novel microbial assemblages in invaded soils.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Analyses of the rhizosphere of the invasive tree Acacia dealbata using high‐throughput amplicon sequencing and metagenomics have revealed that, despite strong geographical variation, invaded populations share a core suite of bacterial and fungal taxa involved in nitrogen and phosphorus cycling. Rhizosphere soils under this invader display enrichment of Proteobacteria and Pezizomycetes alongside overrepresented genes linked to plant‐growth promotion. These findings suggest that specific microbial consortia may facilitate the establishment and spread of A. dealbata by enhancing nutrient acquisition in novel environments.

Impacts of Invasive Plants on Soil Microbial Communities publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in impacts of invasive plants on soil microbial communities across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Rhizosphere: The zone of soil directly influenced by root exudates and associated microbial activity.

Alpha diversity: A measure of microbial richness and evenness within a single sample or community.

Beta diversity: A measure of variation in community composition between different samples or environments.

Copiotrophic bacteria: Microorganisms that thrive in nutrient‐rich environments and often exhibit rapid growth rates.

Amplicon sequencing: A targeted DNA sequencing method that profiles microbial community structure by amplifying marker genes such as 16S rRNA.

References

1. Quercus rubra invasion of temperate deciduous forest stands alters the structure and functions of the soil microbiome. Geoderma (2023).
2. Composition and activity of soil microbial communities in native and non-native vegetation of southern California. Applied Soil Ecology (2024).
3. Soil nutritional status and biogeography influence rhizosphere microbial communities associated with the invasive tree Acacia dealbata. Scientific Reports (2017).