Plant invasion increases soil microbial biomass carbon: Meta-analysis and empirical tests

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a vital component of the global carbon cycle. SOC influences soil fertility and structure and is controlled by various factors, including land use, land management practices, and climate change. Biological invasion is a significant yet controversial factor that can alter SOC levels. We conducted a meta-analysis of 445 observations from 61 published reports and followed up with field surveys to clarify the impact of plant invasion on SOC. Our results indicated that plant invasion leads to a 29% increase in microbial biomass carbon (MBC), which is one of the key fractions of SOC. Specifically, among different ecosystems, plant invasion caused MBC increases of 59% in estuaries, 59% in alluvial land, 53% in wetlands, and 80% in orchards. Furthermore, invasion by plants from the Asteraceae family resulted in a 33% increase in MBC, whereas invasion by plants from the Lythraceae family caused a 72% increase in MBC. Our field survey also revealed that plant invasion..., , , # Plant invasion increases soil microbial biomass carbon: Meta-analysis and empirical tests

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.c59zw3rkc](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.c59zw3rkc)

## Description of the data and file structure

All empty cells will be replaced with standardized placeholders (n/a) to avoid ambiguity in **Meta-analysis Data**.

All variables (column names)  in Meta-analysis Data. Detailed annotation information is provided below:

| Abbreviations | Corresponding full forms |
| :------------ | :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| TC | Total Carbon |
| SOC | Soil Organic Carbon |
| DOC | Dissolved Organic Carbon |
| MBC | Microbial Biomass Carb...