Allelopathy Journal

Previous studies showed that extracts of Mikania micrantha influence the balance between various components of soil microflora. Such changes may alter the litter decompostion of native plants in an invaded ecosystem. The effects of aqueous extracts of the invasive plant M. micrantha on litter decompositon and nutrient release were studied. Litter of four native woody plants (Ficus virens, Litsea glutinosa, Cinnamomum camphora and Acacia richii) in Southern China was collected. Aqueous extracts of M.micrantha significantly influenced the litter decomposition and nutrient release of test plants spp. The extracts increased the litter decompostion rates of F. virens and A. richii but decreased that of L. glutinosa. Besides, the extracts increased the C and N release from litter of F. virens, decreased that of L. glutinosa but had no significant effect on A. richii. Without extract treatment, there was significantly negative correlation between litter decomposition rate and litter C: N ratio, while no significant correlation existed in extract treatments, implying that M. micrantha extracts influenced the litter decomposition processes.