Community Ecology
Volume/Issue:
Volume 12: Issue 2
Assessing the effects of Carpobrotus invasion on coastal dune soils. Does the nature of the invaded habitat matter?
Authors:
R. Santoro Università degli Studi di Roma Tre Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale V.le Marconi 446 00146 Roma Italy

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T. Jucker Università degli Studi di Roma Tre Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale V.le Marconi 446 00146 Roma Italy

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M. Carranza Università degli Studi del Molise — C.da Fonte Lappone EnviX-Lab. Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie per l’Ambiente e il Territorio 86090 Pesche (IS) Italy

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A. Acosta Università degli Studi di Roma Tre Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale V.le Marconi 446 00146 Roma Italy

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Pages:
234–240
Online Publication Date:
17 Nov 2011
Publication Date:
01 Dec 2011
Article Category:
Journal Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1556/comec.12.2011.2.12
Keywords:
Alien species; Coastal dune vegetation; Impact; Mediterranean; Soil parameters
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We investigate the modifications of soil factors in Carpobrotus invaded sites by evaluating differences between non-invaded and highly invaded plots in three habitats of coastal dune ecosystems in Central Italy. Nitrogen content, organic matter content, pH and salinity were measured in three coastal habitats: shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria, Crucianellion maritimae fixed beach dunes and fixed coastal dunes with Juniperus spp. Soil variables of the invaded plots were compared to non-invaded ones using two-way factorial ANOVAs and post-hoc Tukey HSD tests. We found significant differences between invaded and non-invaded plots for nitrogen content, organic matter content and pH in both foredune habitats. On the other hand, no differences were revealed on fixed dunes. Thus, we found distinct responses of soil factors to Carpobrotus invasion depending on the habitat. Pioneer habitats with very poor soils are more sensitive to invasion probably because the production of litter by Carpobrotus is considerably higher than for native species. Therefore, for the establishment of efficient alien control programs of those habitats of conservation interest, it is imperative to take into account the relationship between invasive species presence and the top soil characteristics. For instance, particular attention is required in the foredune zone (pioneer habitats), where Carpobrotus invasion is more likely to affect the parameters of the soil.

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Cover Community Ecology
Community Ecology An Interdisciplinary Journal Reporting Progress in Community and Population Studies
Print ISSN:
1585-8553
Online ISSN:
1588-2756

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Community Ecology
Language English
Size A4
Year of
Foundation		 2000
Volumes
per Year		 1
Issues
per Year		 3
Founder Akadémiai Kiadó
Founder's
Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245
Publisher Akadémiai Kiadó
Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Publisher's
Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
CH-6330 Cham, Switzerland Gewerbestrasse 11.
Responsible
Publisher		 Chief Executive Officer, Akadémiai Kiadó
ISSN 1585-8553 (Print)
ISSN 1588-2756 (Online)

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