Wavyleaf basketgrass (Oplismenus undulatifolius) invasion is associated with changes in soil microbial communities.
Fulcher MR, Tritz A, Beauchamp V, Wu CA
Invasive Species
If wavyleaf basketgrass has reached a trail or woodland edge near you, the soil beneath it may already be losing the microbial diversity that native wildflowers and trees depend on to germinate and thrive.
When wavyleaf basketgrass invades a forest, it doesn't just crowd out other plants — it changes the invisible community of fungi and bacteria living in the soil. Scientists found that soils invaded by this grass start to look the same no matter where in the country they are, as if the grass is stamping out local microbial variety. Evidence points to the grass bringing along its own root-zone microbes and using them to reshape the soil in its favor.
Key Findings
Invaded soils across geographically distant locations showed biotic homogenization — their microbial communities became more similar to each other than uninvaded soils.
Changes in microbial communities were linked to enrichment of specific microbial taxa originating from the invasive plant's rhizosphere (root zone).
The altered microbial communities appeared to be buffered against other environmental selective pressures, suggesting the invasion overrides normal local variation in soil ecology.
chevron_right Technical Summary
An invasive grass called wavyleaf basketgrass is reshaping the soil microbial communities wherever it spreads, making soils in different locations look increasingly similar — a process called biotic homogenization. This suggests the plant actively recruits microbes from its own root zone to reshape local soils, potentially helping it outcompete native plants.
Abstract Preview
Introduced invasive plants can alter the composition of resident soil microbial communities, which may disrupt ecosystem function and facilitate continued invasion success. Wavyleaf basketgrass ( U...
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Species Mentioned
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Oplismenus undulatifolius, commonly known as wavyleaf basketgrass, is a species of perennial grass from the family Poaceae that is native to Eurasia, specifically Southern Europe through Southern Asia. Due to its invasive nature, it can be found in countries such as Pakistan, China, Japan, Korea,...