Life Sciences Commons^™

The Effect Of Invasive Plants On Soil Microbial Activity In A Ny Temperate Forest, Victoria Dawn Hull

Theses - ALL

Invasive woody plants are often strong competitors that can have large effects on ecosystem function. While there is evidence that Northeastern invasive species can increase nitrogen cycling in monocultures, little is known about how invasive plants alter biogeochemistry in the field. I hypothesized that the high-quality leaf and root litter of invaders would enhance the quality of soil organic matter, leading to greater belowground microbial activity and faster rates of nitrogen mineralization. In the summer of 2017, I conducted a field survey of invasive and native understory shrubs to see how invasive woody plants influence microbial activity in central New …