Leaf Litter and Soil-Mediated Impacts of the Invasive Tree Prosopis juliflora on Seedlings of Resident Tree Species
Dub Isacko Dokata, Simon Kosgey Choge, Pia R. Stettler, Urs Schaffner

TL;DR
This study shows that the invasive tree Prosopis juliflora harms native tree seedlings through allelochemicals in the soil, likely from its leaf litter.
Contribution
The study experimentally confirms allelopathic effects of P. juliflora on resident tree species using natural soil and leaf litter treatments.
Findings
Seedling survival and growth were reduced in soil under P. juliflora and in soil mixed with its leaf litter.
Adding activated carbon improved seedling performance, suggesting allelochemicals are involved.
Competition reduced seedling height regardless of the competitor type.
Abstract
Prosopis juliflora is a highly invasive tree species in semi-arid and arid regions in eastern Africa. Its ability to displace herbaceous and woody species has been attributed to allelopathic effects, but this has rarely been tested in competition experiments on natural soil and experimentally binding potentially allelopathic substances. We tested the effect of soil collected underneath and outside of P. juliflora canopy, or treated with P. juliflora leaf litter, on the survival, growth, and competitive ability of three resident tree species in the presence and absence of activated carbon. Survival and growth of tree seedlings were reduced on soil collected underneath P. juliflora canopy and on soil collected outside P. juliflora canopy mixed with leaf litter, compared to seedlings growing on soil collected outside P. juliflora canopy. When activated carbon was added, seedling…
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Taxonomy
TopicsAllelopathy and phytotoxic interactions · Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies · Seedling growth and survival studies
