Form Submission: Participation Entry

Land managers worldwide are investing in restoration projects to enhance the social and ecological value of natural areas, and one of the most common and costly restoration measures is invasive species removal. Efforts to control invasive plants are widespread, yet sites are often reinvaded following management. Changes in soil nutrient availability driven by non-native plants could help explain why ecosystems are often susceptible to reinvasion. Although previous research has focused on the capacity of invasive plants to alter the carbon and nitrogen cycles, individual studies have yielded highly idiosyncratic results. Co-occurrence of multiple invasive plants and their species-level effects could help reconcile these inconsistencies. This study will investigate causal relationships between three co-occurring plant invaders and changes in carbon and nitrogen availability in oak-hickory forests using coupled field and mesocosm experiments. By studying the soil legacy effects of three ubiquitous invasive plants, this study aims to inform future forest restoration efforts.