Soil microbes alter competition between native and invasive plants

Invasive plants can alter soil microbial communities and generate positive plant–soil feedbacks that facilitate their performance, but the magnitude direction of may change with novel conditions under climate change. We assessed how potential legacy effects plant invasion simulated drought influenced performance competition in longleaf pine ecosystem. collected from a 4-year factorial (cogongrass Imperata cylindrica) by (simulated rainout shelters) field experiment used it as live or sterilized inoculum greenhouse included two native foundation species, Pinus palustris wiregrass Aristida stricta, cogongrass, grown individually competition. There was no evidence biotic for any microbes played significant role When were alone, invader had 12% greater biomass than sterile both species 25% less soil. competition, these reversed cogongrass (37% smaller soil) (17% larger soil). In three produced similar amounts biomass, whereas created competitive hierarchy where more cogongrass. Synthesis. These results emphasize importance biota restoration because, although highly successful when plant–microbe interactions outcome between invasive promoting pine. little inhibited via legacies, instead, suggested be resilient to global such not promote inhibit invasion.