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Dr. Alexis Jones
No full textDr. Alexis Jones reads from the new publication at the Authors@EIU event at Booth Library.https://thekeep.eiu.edu/authors_at_eiu_feb2024/1007/thumbnail.jp
Authors@EIU Book Display
No full texthttps://thekeep.eiu.edu/authors_at_eiu_march2024/1015/thumbnail.jp
September 10, 2024
Get PDFVolume 53, Number 2
Speakers: Dean of Library Services Brian Keith on library updates; President Jay Gatrell on campus update
March 26, 2024
Get PDFVolume 52, Number 13
Speakers: Director of Athletics Tom Michael and IAB Chair Jim Davi
Are Elaeagnus umbellata Invasions Limited by Microbial Interactions?
No full textMutualistic interactions with soil microbes are a key component of plant invasions. Mutualists such as ectomycorrhizal fungi and Rhizobia bacteria often limit invasive plant establishment and performance, but the role of nitrogen-fixing Frankia bacteria in invasions remains largely unexplored. In this study, I quantified the net effects of positive and negative plant-soil feedbacks, including Frankia nodulation, on invasive Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn olive; hereafter AO) seedling performance and traits at varying distances from focal shrubs using live soil and sterilized soil. The expectation was that seedling performance would decrease with further distance from shrubs as Frankia abundance decreased. Contrary to expectations, seedling biomass and specific leaf area increased with increasing distance from focal shrubs in live soil. The distance effects were driven by Frankia colonization as both nodule biomass and nodulation likelihood increased with distance from focal shrubs. Seedling performance and traits did not respond to distance in sterile soil, suggesting abiotic effects play a minimal role in inhibiting nodulation near focal shrubs. These data demonstrate that, while Frankia nodulation positively impacts AO performance, the abundance of Frankia does not limit AO establishment at local scales. The inhibition of nodule formation under shrub canopies is likely regulated by interference from antagonistic microbes or allelochemicals. Future studies should seek to elucidate the causes of nodulation inhibition and reduced nodule biomass under AO shrub canopies
