Impact of non-native tree species in Europe on soil properties and biodiversity: a review

By

Wohlgemuth, Thomas
Gossner, Martin
Campagnaro, Thomas
Marchante, Hélia
Van Loo, Marcela
Vacchiano, Giorgio
Castro-Díez, Pilar
Dobrowolska, Dorota
Gazda, Anna
Keren, Srdjan
Keserű, Zsolt
Koprowski, Marcin
La Porta, Nicola
Marozas, Vitas
Nygaard, Per Holm
Podrazsky, Vilem
Puchałka, Radosław
Reisman-Berman, Orna
Straigytė, Lina
Ylioja, Tiina
Pötzelsberger, Elisabeth
Silva, Joaquim S.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2022

Original Publication

NeoBiota : advancing research on alien species and biological invasions

Volume

78

Pages

45--69

Subjects

Biodiversity , Biogeography , Forest management , pairwise stand comparisons , soil impacts

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sophia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.78.87022

 

Abstract

In the context of global change, the integration of non-native tree (NNT) species into European forestry is increasingly being discussed. The ecological consequences of increasing use or spread of NNTs in European forests are highly uncertain, as the scientific evidence is either constraint to results from case studies with limited spatial extent, or concerns global assessments that lack focus on European NNTs. For either case, generalisations on European NNTs are challenging to draw. Here we compile data on the impacts of seven important NNTs (Acacia dealbata, Ailanthus altissima, Eucalyptus globulus, Prunus serotina, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Quercus rubra, Robinia pseudoacacia) on physical and chemical soil properties and diversity attributes in Europe, and summarise commonalities and differences. From a total of 103 publications considered, studies on diversity attributes were overall more frequent than studies on soil properties. The effects on soil properties varied greatly among tree species and depended on the respective soil property. Overall, increasing (45%) and decreasing (45%) impacts on soil occurred with similar frequency. In contrast, decreasing impacts on biodiversity were much more frequent (66%) than increasing ones (24%). Species phylogenetically distant from European tree species, such as Acacia dealbata, Eucalyptus globulus and Ailanthus altissima, showed the strongest decreasing impacts on biodiversity. Our results suggest that forest managers should be cautious in using NNTs, as a majority of NNT stands host fewer species when compared with native tree species or ecosystems, likely reflected in changes in biotic interactions and ecosystem functions. The high variability of impacts suggests that individual NNTs should be assessed separately, but NNTs that lack European relatives should be used with particular caution.