Medusahead and soil microbial communities

Understanding plant-microbe relationships is important for developing reliable control strategies for invasive plants. In a field study located in California, USA, we investigated how soil microbial communities differ across the invasion front of <i>Taeniatherum caput-medusae</i> (medusahead), an annual grass that has rapidly invaded most of the western USA.<br> <br>Plots were installed in areas where medusahead invasion is successful (open grassland habitat) and not successful (oak woodland habitat). Medusahead was seeded into plots at a range of densities (from 0-50,000 seeds/m²) to simulate different levels of invasion. Bulk soil was sampled from each plot two years after medusahead seeds were sewn.

解析植物-微生物互作关系，对于制定入侵植物的可靠防控策略具有重要意义。本研究于美国加利福尼亚州开展野外调查，旨在探明沿美杜莎草（Taeniatherum caput-medusae）入侵前沿的土壤微生物群落差异。美杜莎草为一年生草本植物，已快速扩散至美国西部绝大多数区域。

实验样地设置于美杜莎草入侵成功的开阔草原生境，以及未发生该草入侵的栎类林生境中。我们以0至50000粒/平方米的梯度播种密度，向各样地播入美杜莎草种子，以模拟不同程度的入侵强度。在美杜莎草播种两年后，从每个样地采集原状土壤（bulk soil）样品。