Data from: Invasive plants differentially affect soil biota through litter and rhizosphere pathways: a meta-analysis

Invasive plants affect soil biota through litter and rhizosphere inputs,
but the direction and magnitude of these effects are variable. We
conducted a meta-analysis to examine the different effects of litter and
rhizosphere of invasive plants on soil communities and nutrient cycling.
Our results showed that invasive plants increased bacterial biomass by
16%, detritivore abundance by 119% and microbivore abundance by 89%
through litter pathway. In the rhizosphere, invasive plants reduced
bacterial biomass by 12%, herbivore abundance by 55% and predator
abundance by 52%, but increased AM fungal biomass by 36%. Moreover, CO2
efflux, N mineralization rate and enzyme activities were all higher in
invasive than native rhizosphere soils. These findings indicate that
invasive plants may support more decomposers that in turn stimulate
nutrient release via litter effect, and enhance nutrient uptake by
reducing root grazing but forming more symbioses in the rhizosphere. Thus,
we hypothesize that litter- and root-based loops are probably linked to
generate positive feedback of invaders on soil systems through stimulating
nutrient cycling, consequently facilitating plant invasion. Our findings
from limited cases with diverse contexts suggest that more studies are
needed to differentiate litter and rhizosphere effects within single
systems to better understand invasive plant-soil interactions.