Biodiv Sci ›› 2024, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (11): 24243.  DOI: 10.17520/biods.2024243

• Special Feature: Biological Invasion • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Soil biodiversity and exotic plant invasions: Progress and perspectives #br#

Rongjiang Zhao1, Jihua Wu1, Weiming He2, Caiyun Zhao3, Bo Zhou1, Bo Li4, Qiang Yang1*   


  1. 1 State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems/College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
    2 College of Forestry, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei 071000, China
    3 Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
    4 School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, China



  • Received:2024-06-18 Revised:2024-08-26 Online:2024-11-20 Published:2024-12-27
  • Contact: Yang Qiang

Abstract:


Background & Aims: Exotic plant invasions seriously threaten native biodiversity and ecological security. Although numerous studies have explored the mechanisms of exotic plant invasion, the critical role of soil organisms in this process has not been systematically reviewed.
Progress: In this review, we summarize five ways by which soil biota influence exotic plant invasions, including (1) the role of soil microorganisms (pathogenic microorganisms, symbiotic microorganisms, saprophytic microorganisms, microbial diversity); (2) the role of soil fauna (herbivorous insects, nematodes and protozoa, mites and collembolans, earthworms); (3) the role of soil food webs (micro-food webs, entire food webs); (4) the relationship between plant–soil feedback and plant invasions; and (5) the effect of plant above- and below-ground biotic interactions.
Prospectives: We propose four directions for future studies, including (1) biogeographic comparisons between native and invasive ranges; (2) the verification of the diversity-invasibility hypothesis; (3) the expansion at the plant community level; and (4) the application of multi-omics technology. By elucidating soil biological mechanisms for exotic plant invasion, this review provides important insights for the management of invasive exotic plants and biodiversity conservation.



Key words: soil-borne pathogen, mycorrhizal fungi, saprotroph, insect herbivore, soil nematode, soil food web, plant-soil feedback, plant above- and below-ground biotic interaction