Invasion by the Alien Tree Prunus serotina Alters Ecosystem Functions in a Temperate Deciduous Forest

Abstract

Alien invasive species can affect large areas, often with wide-ranging impacts on ecosystem structure, function, and services. Prunus serotina is a widespread invader of European temperate forests, where it tends to form homogeneous stands and limits recruitment of indigenous trees. We hypotesized that invasion by P. serotina would be reflected in the nutrient contents of the native species' leaves and in the respiration of invaded plots as efficient resource uptake and changes in nutrient cycling by P. serotina probably underly its aggressive invasiveness. We combined data from 48 field plots in the forest of Compiègne, France, and data from an experiment using 96 microcosms derived from those field plots. We used general linear models to separate effects of invasion by P. serotina on heterotrophic soil and litter respiration rates and on canopy foliar nutrient content from effects of soil chemical properties, litter quantity, litter species composition, and tree species composition. In invaded stands, average respiration rates were 5.6% higher for soil (without litter) and 32% higher for soil and litter combined. Compared to indigenous tree species, P. serotina exhibited higher foliar N (+24.0%), foliar P (+50.7%), and lower foliar C:N (−22.4%) and N:P (−10.1%) ratios. P. serotina affected foliar nutrient contents of co-occuring indigenous tree species leading to decreased foliar N (−8.7 %) and increased C:N ratio (+9.5%) in Fagus sylvatica, decreased foliar N:P ratio in Carpinus betulus (−13.5%) and F. sylvatica (−11.8%), and increased foliar P in Pinus sylvestris (+12.3%) in invaded vs. uninvaded stands. Our results suggest that P. serotina is changing nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon cycles to its own advantage, hereby increasing carbon turnover via labile litter, affecting the relative nutrient contents in the overstory leaves, and potentially altering the photosynthetic capacity of the long-lived indigenous broadleaved species. Uncontrolled invasion of European temperate forests by P. serotina may affect the climate change mitigation potential of these forests in the long term, through additive effects on local nutrient cycles.

Impact of an invasive alien plant on litter decomposition along a latitudinal gradient

“…Likewise, Aerts et al. () found related shifts in functional leaf traits of co‐occurring native plant species following invasion of Prunus serotina , resulting in higher litter quality.…”

“…Litter decomposition is one of these ecosystem functions which is potentially strongly affected by invasive alien plants (Ehrenfeld , Aerts et al. ). A recent global meta‐analysis across 94 studies (Liao et al.…”

El capulín (Prunus serotina Ehrh.): árbol multipropósito con potencial forestal en México

“…No obstante, estos trabajos también indican que en México el clima del futuro favorecerá la aparición de nuevas áreas aptas para la especie, y estas podrían usarse para establecer zonas de cultivo de la especie con fines forestales. Adicionalmente, el comportamiento invasor de la especie en Europa (Camenen, Porté y Benito Garzoń, 2016;Aerts et al, 2017) muestra que el capulín es capaz de enfrentar exitosamente los retos ambientales propios de la colonización de nuevos hábitats y estimula a pensar que podrá hacer lo mismo frente a la variación climática ocasionada por el calentamiento global.…”

Spatial genetic structure and clonality of Prunus serotina Ehrh. during invasive spread into Scots pine forests

“…Biological invasions cause global homogenization of biodiversity, which challenges the biogeographic patterns we know (Capinha et al 2015), affect ecosystem processes and services that support human societies (Aerts et al 2017;Craven et al 2017;Taylor et al 2017), may generate great costs for local and national budgets and even stir up social conflicts (van Wilgen et al 2008;Crowley et al 2017). In the context of ongoing climate changes, biological invasions emerge as a serious problem that the global ecosystem will have to deal with (Hulme 2017).…”

“…Currently, the species is naturalized but mostly invasive in much of Central Europe where it typically invades Scots pine-dominated stands. Recent studies have clearly showed the adverse effects of black cherry invasions in forest stands including limiting recruitment of native species (Vanhellemont et al 2010), shifting forest community structure (Halarewicz and Żołnierz 2014) or even changing ecosystem functioning by altering nutrient cycling leading to a reduced carbon sequestration capacity of native species (Aerts et al 2017). Leaves of P. serotina are successfully used as an alternative food source for native insect pests (Karolewski et al 2014) that increases the food base for the insect pests of the native bird cherry (Prunus padus L.).…”