Abstract
Abstract Introduction Ecosystem restoration requires the management of invasive plants due to the harmful effects they have on both above‐ and belowground ecosystem processes. Belowground soil modifications by invasive plants, particularly those driven by plant–soil feedbacks (PSFs), are thought to significantly influence an invader's success by creating soil conditions that affect native and invasive plant performance. Brazilian peppertree ( Schinus terebinthifolia ) is an invasive tree suspected to negatively influence plant communities through PSFs. Objectives This study examined the impact of S. terebinthifolia and its associated soil microbial community on the efficacy of restoration efforts. Methods We conducted a controlled greenhouse competition experiment between the invader and native south Texas grasses, using soil inoculum from invaded and uninvaded sites. Results Schinus terebinthifolia ‐invaded soils consistently exerted a negative PSF on native grasses, reducing their height by 10% and biomass by 24%. Similarly, S. terebinthifolia ‐invaded soils reduced its own biomass by 15% when grown alone. However, the negative direct PSF was neutralized when in competition with native grasses, resulting in a net‐positive PSF for S. terebinthifolia driven by negative interspecific feedbacks. While many studies report that positive PSFs promote invader success, our results demonstrate that negative feedbacks can also facilitate invasion by disproportionately suppressing natives. Notably, native competition lowered S. terebinthifolia biomass by 52%. This, along with improved native grass performance in uninvaded, competition‐free soils, highlights the importance of revegetation in restoration efforts. Conclusions Restoration planning, implementation, and monitoring should account for species‐specific PSFs, soil legacies, and native revegetation competition.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Soil conditioned by invaded soil reduced the height of native grasses by 10%.
- Taxon
- native grassese1
- Treatment
- invaded soilse1
- Interactor
- Schinus terebinthifolia
Schinus terebinthifoliae1weed - Outcome
- heighte1
- Direction
- reducinge1
- Value
- 10%e1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“Schinus terebinthifolia ‐invaded soils consistently exerted a negative PSF on native grasses, reducing their height by 10% and biomass by 24%”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil conditioned by invaded soil reduced the biomass of native grasses by 24%.
- Taxon
- native grassese1
- Treatment
- invaded soilse1
- Interactor
- Schinus terebinthifoliaSchinus terebinthifoliae1weed
- Outcome
- biomasse1
- Direction
- reducinge1
- Value
- 24%e1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“Schinus terebinthifolia ‐invaded soils consistently exerted a negative PSF on native grasses, reducing their height by 10% and biomass by 24%”
Claim · model-written summary
Invaded soil reduced the biomass of Schinus terebinthifolia by 15% when it was grown alone.
- Taxon
- S. terebinthifoliaSchinus terebinthifoliae2
- Treatment
- invaded soilse2
- Outcome
- its own biomasse2
- Direction
- reducede2
- Value
- 15%e2
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e2“Similarly, S. terebinthifolia ‐invaded soils reduced its own biomass by 15% when grown alone.”
Claim · model-written summary
The plant-soil feedback for Schinus terebinthifolia became net-positive in competition with native grasses, driven by negative interspecific feedbacks.
- Taxon
- S. terebinthifoliaSchinus terebinthifoliae3
- Treatment
- competition with native grassese3
- Outcome
- PSF for S. terebinthifoliae3
- Direction
- net‐positivee3
- Qualifier
- driven by negative interspecific feedbackse3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“the negative direct PSF was neutralized when in competition with native grasses, resulting in a net‐positive PSF for S. terebinthifolia driven by negative interspecific feedbacks”
Claim · model-written summary
Native competition lowered the biomass of Schinus terebinthifolia by 52%.
- Taxon
- S. terebinthifoliaSchinus terebinthifoliae4
- Treatment
- native competitione4
- Outcome
- biomasse4
- Direction
- lowerede4
- Value
- 52%e4
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e4“Notably, native competition lowered S. terebinthifolia biomass by 52%”
Claim · model-written summary
Native grass performance improved in uninvaded, competition-free soils.
- Taxon
- native grasse5
- Treatment
- uninvaded, competition‐free soilse5
- Outcome
- native grass performancee5
- Direction
- improvede5
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e5“improved native grass performance in uninvaded, competition‐free soils”
Claim · model-written summary
Restoration planning should account for species-specific plant-soil feedbacks, soil legacies and native revegetation competition.
- Taxon
- Schinus terebinthifoliaSchinus terebinthifoliat0
- Outcome
- account for species‐specific PSFs, soil legacies, and native revegetation competitione6
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Brazilian peppertree ( Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi)”
e6“Restoration planning, implementation, and monitoring should account for species‐specific PSFs, soil legacies, and native revegetation competition”