Soil biota and non-native plant invasions.

Abstract

The trajectory of plant invasions - for better or for worse - can be tied to interactions between plants and the soil community. Here, we highlight five broad ways in which belowground interactions can influence the trajectory of biological invasions by non-native plant species. First, many non-native plant species in their non-native ranges can interact very differently with the resident soil community than do native species. Second, non-native plant species often interact very differently with the soil community in their non-native ranges than in their native ranges, which can result in enemy release from antagonistic interactions. Third, non-native plant species can cultivate a soil community that disproportionately harms native competitors in invaded communities. Fourth, antagonistic soil biota in invaded communities can reduce the performance of non-native plant species, resulting in meaningful biotic resistance against invasion. Fifth, besides or in addition to antagonistic interactions with soil biota, soil mutualisms can promote the success of invasive plant species (i) when mutualists co-invade with non-native plant species that require obligate specialist mutualists, (ii) when mutualists enhance the performance of non-native plant species in their non-native ranges, and (iii) when biotic interactions in the invaded community suppress the soil mutualists of native plant species. We conclude that management practices aimed at manipulating plant - soil interactions have considerable potential to help control plant invasions, but further work is needed to understand the spatial, temporal, taxonomic and biogeographic drivers of context dependence in interactions among plants and soil biota.