Enzymatic efficiency of the decomposing microbiota: what does really matter for aquatic macrophytes invasions?

Abstract

Biological invasions have negative impacts on different ecosystem-level functions, such as nutrient cycling. In aquatic environments, exotic litter can change the activity of the decomposer microbiota. We tested whether litter quality, litter decay, and enzyme activity differed between native Egeria densa and exotic Hydrilla verticillata. The invasive plant presented higher lignin and lower cellulose content than the native plant. Both species showed rapid fibre decay in the first five days. E. densa had higher cellulose and hemicellulose decay than H. verticillatta. Although the species did not exhibit differences in enzyme activity over time, E. densa had a higher enzymatic efficiency than H. verticillata. This differential enzymatic performance can cause changes in the mineralisation processes of the invaded environments. The lower decomposition rates for invasive litter, associated with differences in litter quality, could increase the amount of particulate organic material in invaded environments.

Do the Leaves of Multiple Invasive Plants Decompose More Easily than a Native Plant’s under Nitrogen Deposition with Different Forms?

“…In this study, the decomposition rate of the four AIPs and P. laciniata may be mainly influenced by soil electrical conductivity, soil nitrate content, soil FDA hydrolase activity, and soil urease activity rather than SBCS, according to the results of the correlation analysis and PCA. This phenomenon may be possible because soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities may influence the release process of substances contained in the leaves during the decomposition process [12,42,53,64].…”