Effects of leachates of the invasive plant, Ageratina adenophora (Sprengel) on soil microbial community

The invasive plant Ageratina adenophora (Sprengel) changed soil microbial communities in the invaded area to facilitate its growth and inhibit native plants. However, little is known about the driving forces underlying the alteration of soil biota. Leachates from root and aerial part (stem and leaves) of A. adenophora were mixed into soil to imitate field invasion processes for evaluation of its impact on invasion of soil microbial community. The results indicated that soil microbial community was significantly changed when the soil taken from the newly-invaded area was treated with A. adenophora root and aerial part leachates for 3 and 5 weeks, respectively. The biota of newly invaded soil treated with concentration of 100 mg/mL A. adenophora leachates was much closer to that of heavily invaded soil, but was significantly different from that of control soil (newly invaded soil without treatment). A. adenophora leachates promoted growth of the seven dominant rhizosphere bacterial species in the invaded soil. The effect of A. adenophora leachates on soil biota and dominant rhizosphere bacteria was positively correlated with the concentration of leachates, however, the effect of root leachates was stronger than the aerial part leachates. It is assumed that A. adenophora change soil microbial community via nutritional and chemical communication, which helps it in better colonization of the invaded soil.