Data from: Litter nutrient release and allelopathy jointly contribute to the diversity–invasibility relationship

This dataset accompanies a study testing Elton’s biotic resistance
hypothesis by examining how native plant litter diversity influences the
growth of the invasive plant Phytolacca americana through nutrient release
and allelopathic effects in temperate forests of China. The dataset
includes: (1) Aboveground biomass data of P. americana grown in
pots with litter mixtures composed of 15 native plant species at five
species-richness levels (1, 3, 6, 9, 15); (2) Initial chemical properties
(C and N concentrations, C:N ratios, and total phenolics) of the 15 native
plant litter types; (3) Mass, C concentration, and N concentration of 61
litter mixtures measured before and after 10 weeks of decomposition to
calculate litter C and N release; (4) soil fungal community data derived
from high-throughput sequencing, including taxonomic profiles (from phylum
to genus) and functional classifications assigned using FUNGuild (e.g.,
saprotrophs, pathogens, symbionts); (5) Aboveground biomass data
of P. americana from a litter-leachate experiment testing how
leachates derived from litter mixtures of varying species richness
affected the invader’s growth. These datasets support analyses of
how litter species richness regulates nutrient dynamics, allelopathic
effects, and invader performance, and are valuable for researchers
studying invasion ecology, plant–soil interactions, and the role of
biodiversity in ecosystem functioning.