The role of coprophagy in the feeding strategies of terrestrial isopods

Summary The hypothesis that faeces recycling in isopods evolved as an adaption to facilitate maintenance of an adequate copper balance in terrestrial environments is examined. Experimental observations on the consumption, absorption and growth rates of Porcellio scaber fed Betula pendula leaf litter varying in copper content and extent of microbial decay are reported. Preventing the isopods from reingesting their faeces caused a reduction in the growth rates of experimental animals fed their natural low copper diet but also of those fed copper enriched diets. When the availability of copper in the primary food was increased consumption of the litter decreased and growth rates were significantly reduced. These results suggest that copper is not normally a critically limiting nutrient for terrestrial isopods.When the primary diet was supplemented with shredded carrot, faeces deprivation did not cause a decrease in growth rates. These experimental animals gained weight significantly faster than controls fed decaying leaf litter alone.Faeces formed a significantly greater proportion of the diet when the animals were fed freshly fallen rather than decayed litter.We conclude a) that enhanced microbial activity in the faeces increases their nutrient status in such a way that some coprophagy is necessary in order to optimize overall nutrient uptake, and b) that theability to vary the extent to which faeces are recycled in response to differences in food quality is important in that it introduces greater flexibility into the feeding strategies of these generalist macro-decomposers.     

Differential palatability of leaf litter to four sympatric isopods in a Hong Kong forest

Summary The feeding behaviour of four sympatric isopods from a Hong Kong forest has been investigated. The study included two armadillids (Formosillo raffaelei and Orodillo maculatus) and two philosciids (Burmoniscus ocellatus and Burmoniscus sp.). When given a choice of eight types of litter, all isopod species showed significant dietary selection, and food preferences were similar. Berchemia racemosa (Rhamnaceae) was most readily consumed, followed by Celtis sinensis (Ulmaceac), while feeding rates on Cinnamomum camphora (Lauraceae) were low. The armadillids exhibited a narrower dietary spectrum than the philosciids. All isopods showed significant differences in consumption rates when each litter type was presented separately to them. Cinnamomum camphora was eaten the slowest, while Celtis sinensis and Berchemia racemosa were the top-ranked species. Although patterns of litter ranking based on percentage eaten or feeding rates were similar, all isopods ate more food when given a mixture of leaves than when presented with a single litter type. Assimilation rates were, in general, positively related to feeding rates. On this basis, it appears that assimilation may influence food preference. There were no clear relationships between food preference or feeding rates and ash, calcium, copper, soluble tannin or energy content of the litter. This finding may indicate the benefits of isopods maintaining a mixed diet, consuming certain litter species to meet their calcium or copper requirements and then switching to others so as to meet daily energy needs and to avoid excessive injection of tannins or plant allelochemicals.     

Isopod effects on decomposition of litter produced under elevated CO2, N deposition and different soil types

The performance of Oniscus asellus (Isopoda) and its influence on litter mass loss and mineralization was assessed in a microcosm experiment, using beech (Fagus sylvatica) leaf litter that was produced on different soil types, contrasting atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, and different nitrogen deposition rates. Litter quality was significantly altered by these treatments, and many of the CO₂ and N effects differed between soil types. Litter quality affected subsequent litter mass loss rates, microbial respiration, and leaching of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrate. These effects were largely independent of the presence of isopods, even though isopods highly accelerated litter mass loss, stimulated microbial respiration by 37%, and increased nitrate leaching by 50%. Isopods did not change their relative rates of litter consumption and growth in response to litter quality. Isopod mortality, however, increased with increasing litter lignin/N ratios, and was significantly different between soil types, which may indicate long‐term effects on litter decomposition through altered isopod densities. Having the choice among the litter of three different species [maple (Acer pseudoplatanus), beech (Fagus sylvatica) and oak (Quercus robur)] grown at either ambient or elevated CO₂, isopods preferred maple to beech when all the litter was produced under elevated CO₂. This suggests that beyond changes in consumption, an altered food selection by isopods in a CO₂‐enriched atmosphere may affect the temporal and spatial composition of the litter layer in temperate forests. In contrast to previous findings, we conclude that isopods do not always increase their consumption rates, and hence do not differentially affect microbial decomposition in litter of poorer quality. Nevertheless changes in animal densities and/or shifts in their food preferences, could result in altered decomposition and carbon and nutrient turnover rates.     

Effects of nickel hyperaccumulation in Alyssum pintodasilvae on model arthropods representatives of two trophic levels

An experimental assessment of the defence hypothesis of nickel (Ni) hyperaccumulation in Alyssum was lacking. Also, to date no study had investigated the effects of hyperaccumulator litter on a detritivore species. We performed several experiments with model arthropods representatives of two trophic levels: Tribolium castaneum (herbivore) and Porcellio dilatatus (detritivore). In no-choice trials using artificial food disks with different Ni concentrations, T. castaneum fed significantly less as Ni concentration increased and totally rejected disks with the highest Ni concentration. In choice tests, insects preferred disks without Ni. In the no-choice experiment, mortality was low and did not differ significantly among treatments. Hence, this suggested a deterrent effect of high Ni diet. Experiments with P. dilatatus showed that isopods fed A. pintodasilvae litter showed significantly greater mortality (83%) than isopods fed litter from the non-hyperaccumulator species Iberis procumbens (8%), Micromeria juliana (no mortality) or Alnus glutinosa (no mortality). Also, isopods consumed significantly greater amounts of litter from the non-hyperaccumulator plant species. The behaviour of isopods fed A. pintodasilvae litter suggested an antifeedant effect of Ni, possibly due to post-ingestive toxic effects. Our results support the view that Ni defends the Portuguese serpentine hyperaccumulator A. pintodasilvae against herbivores, indicating that Ni can account both for feeding deterrence and toxic effects. The effects of hyperaccumulator litter on the detritivore P. dilatatus suggest that the activity of these important organisms may be significantly impaired with potential consequences on the decomposition processes.     

The distribution of zinc,cadmium, lead and copper within the woodlouse Oniscus asellus (Crustacea,Isopoda)

Summary The concentrations of zinc, cadmium, lead and copper have been determined in the hepatopancreas, hindgut and rest of the body tissues of Oniscus asellus collected from eight sites in the U.K. The hepatopancreas is by far the most important storage organ of heavy metals, particularly cadmium, and at each site, contains a mean of at least 89% of the total body load of this element. Specimens of Oniscus asellus from contaminated sites may contain concentrations of zinc, cadmium, lead and copper in the hepatopancreas of about 1%, 0.5%, 2.5% and 3% of the dry weight respectively, which are among the highest so far recorded in the soft tissues of any animal.There is a significant positive correlation between the mean relative dry weight of the hepatopancreas of Oniscus asellus and the concentrations of zinc or cadmium in leaf litter from all eight sites. It is suggested that animals from sites which are contaminated heavily with zinc or cadmium have a large hepatopancreas because this enables them to de-toxify a greater amount of the metal.     

A terrestrial micro-ecosystem for measuring effects of pollutants on isopod-mediated litter decomposition

Soil fauna-mediated litter decomposition was simulated in micro-ecosystems, using oak and poplar litter, with the isopod Porcellio scaber (Crustacea) as a representative soil fauna species. The aim was to identify the conditions under which decomposition rate and influence of isopods could be established accurately, yet keeping the system complex enough to be relevant for the field situation. The results showed that it was possible to divide total carbon dioxide production of a micro-ecosystem into three components: microbial respiration, isopod respiration and extra microbial, isopod-mediated respiration. The isopods stimulated the microbial respiration by 10–50%, depending on litter type and experimental design. It appears that this stimulation is achieved in two ways: 1. by increasing litter moisture content and 2. by production of faecal pellets. It is concluded that the micro-ecosystem described in this paper combines ecological relevance with reproducibility and simplicity of operation and thus provides a useful tool for measuring effects of soil contaminants.     

Heavy metal composition of polysomal fractions following cadmium challenge

Endogeneous levels of zinc and copper were found to be 1.2±0.1×10⁻² and 0.3±0.1×10⁻² μg/A260 unit, respectively, in polysomal fractions from control animals; cadmium, however, was undetectable. In experimental animals (injected with cadmium) zinc, copper, and cadmium were found in polysomal fractions isolated by two different methods. One hour after a cadmium injection there was a rise in both the zinc and copper content of the polysomal fractions, which then declined steadily to below control levels by 16 h. Neither zinc nor cadmium were dialyzable from these fractions by a TRIS buffer; however, addition of 0.01M EDTA to the buffer resulted in removal of 75% of the zinc and all of the detectable cadmium. The addition of cadmium (CdCl₂) to control supernatants (adjusted to the cadmium concentration present in supernatants 6 h after in vivo exposure) resulted in metal binding to polysomal fractions in levels comparable to those observed after in vivo exposures to the metal. When cadmium was added in the form of cadmium thionein, a smaller fraction of the metal was isolated with the polysomal fraction. Cadmium bound to polysomal fractions in vivo (24 h after exposure) was sensitive to release by protease digestion, but insensitive to release by ribonuclease digestion.     

Leaf litter ash alkalinity and neutralisation of soil acidity

Soil acidification is a major factor limiting the sustainability of agricultural production systems throughout the world. Liming may not always be economically possible and therefore alternative methods or complementary methods of amelioration are required. Leaf litter collected from several tree species was examined for ash alkalinity (as an estimate of organic anion content) and ability to ameliorate an acid soil. Ash alkalinity measured by titration of the ash and excess cation values obtained by calculation as the difference between cation and anion content were correlated. Values obtained by the latter method ranged from 247 cmol _c kg^-1 for Melia azedarach (white cedar) to 36 cmol _c kg^-1 for Eucalyptus globoidea (white stringybark). There was a significant linear correlation between ash alkalinity and the Ca concentration in the litter. When added to an acid soil (pH 4.04 measured in 0.01 M calcium chloride) and incubated for 8 weeks, leaf litter raised the pH. Species differed markedly with Melia azedarach having the greatest effect. The increase in pH was proportional to the quantity of ash alkalinity (organic anions) added, expressed as calcium carbonate equivalents. Aluminium levels on the exchange complex were lowered by treatment with leaf litter through direct precipitation of a solid phase and again Melia azedarach litter was most effective. There was also indirect evidence of organo-Al complexes affecting the concentration of monomeric Al in soil treated with litter from Liquidambar styraciflua (liquidambar), Quercus robur (English oak) and Pinus radiata (radiata pine).     

Response to copper and cadmium stress in wild-type and copper tolerant strains of the lichen alga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trebouxia erici</Emphasis>: metal accumulation,toxicity and non-protein thiols

Cysteine, glutathione (GSH) and phytochelatins were determined in the cells of both wild and copper tolerant strains of the lichen alga Trebouxia erici following short-term (24 h) exposure to copper and cadmium and long-term (4 weeks) exposure to copper. Both metals caused concentration dependent synthesis of phytochelatins (PC₂–PC₅), but cadmium was a more potent activator of phytochelatin synthesis, even inducing synthesis of PC₅. The copper-tolerant strain did not reveal a higher degree of phytochelatin synthesis than the wild strain, and at 5 μM Cu production of phytochelatins was in fact significantly lower. Lower levels of phytochelatin correlated with significantly decreased intracellular copper content in the copper-tolerant strain. Both strains maintained high GSH levels even at a high copper concentration of 5 μM, and only the highest copper concentration (10 μM) was toxic for both strains, causing a decrease of GSH and PC content in algal cells. Cadmium had less effect on GSH in the cells of both tested strains. In the long term experiments, only relatively small amounts of PC₂ were detected in both strains, but the copper-tolerant strain retained significantly higher levels of reduced glutathione, probably due to the lesser degree of oxidative stress caused by Cu. The significant increase of cysteine synthesis in the copper-tolerant strain found in the present study may be related to copper tolerance in T. erici, while decreased intracellular Cu uptake, detoxification by PCs and increased free proline levels for protection of chloroplast membranes may also be implicated.     

Effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on the diet of Bathyraja macloviana,a benthophagous skate

The effects of intrinsic (sex, maturity stage and body size) and extrinsic (depth and region) factors on the diet of Bathyraja macloviana, in the south‐west Atlantic Ocean, were evaluated using a multiple‐hypothesis modelling approach. Bathyraja macloviana fed mainly on polychaetes followed by amphipods, isopods and decapods. Effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on diet composition of this species were found. The consumption of polychaetes had a humped relationship with total length (L_T), and isopods and decapods increased with increasing L_T. Immature individuals preyed on amphipods more heavily than mature individuals. Furthermore, region and depth had an important effect on the consumption of isopods, decapods and amphipods. Such ontogenetic changes and spatial patterns may provide insights into understanding the regulatory mechanisms of marine communities.     

Changes in phosphorus fractions caused by increased microbial activity in forest soil in a short-term incubation study

The effects of adding larch (Larix kaempferi) leaf litter and nitrogen (N) on microbial activity and phosphorus (P) fractions in forest soil were examined in a short-term (28-d) laboratory incubation study. The soil was analyzed using a modified Hedley sequential extraction procedure and an acid phosphatase assay. The addition of larch litter and N increased the acid phosphatase activity and decreased the labile P (H₂O-P + NaHCO₃-P) concentration. Compared with addition of larch litter only, addition of both inputs decreased the proportion of inorganic P (Pi) and increased that of organic P (Po) in the NaOH fraction, bound to aluminum and iron oxides. The results of nutrient (carbon, N, or P) addition indicated that acid phosphatase was synthesized to acquire P. This study suggests that, in this forest soil, P in the H₂O-P + NaHCO₃-P and in the NaOH-Pi fractions was available for soil microorganisms to decompose leaf litter and that increase in microbial activity eventually translated in an increase in the proportion of Po found in the NaOH fraction in this forest soil.     

Spatial patterns of litter decomposition in the littoral zone of boreal lakes

1. We studied the patterns of litter decomposition in lake littoral habitats and investigated whether decay rates, as an integrating proxy for environmental conditions in the sediment, would co‐vary with net carbon dioxide (CO₂) exchange and methane (CH₄) efflux. These gas fluxes are known to be sensitive to environmental conditions. Losses in the mass of cellulose, root, rhizome and moss litter were measured during 2 years in boreal littoral wetlands in Finland and compared with published data on concurrently measured gas fluxes. Four study sites covered a range of sediment types and hydrological conditions. 2. Decomposition was not linearly related to the duration of flooding but depended on sediment type. Readily decomposable litter fractions, such as cellulose and rhizome litter, lost mass at a faster rate in marshes with a longer period of flooding but wide water level fluctuations that hinder establishment of a Sphagnum cover, than in peat‐forming fens. In marshes, the mean first‐year mass losses were 83–99% and 19–62% for cellulose and rhizomes, respectively. In fens, the respective losses were 40–53% and 33%. In the first year, the loss in the mass of the more recalcitrant root litter did not differ between sites (mean 19–30%) and moss litter lost no mass. 3. The estimated first‐year carbon loss from belowground litter was about 0.1–0.3 times ecosystem respiration and roughly similar to net carbon gas (CO₂, CH₄) efflux, suggesting that vascular plants and recent plant residues contribute substantially to ecosystem release of carbon gases. On the other hand, at least 40% of the mass of the belowground litter remained on a littoral site after the first 2 years of decomposition. Slow decomposition may indicate the accumulation of organic‐rich sediments. The accumulated carbon could explain the excess CO₂ release found in most littoral sites. In continuously inundated sites decomposition rates were similar to those in periodically flooded sites, but ecosystem‐atmosphere CO₂ exchange fell to close to zero. This discrepancy implies that the released CO₂ is dissolved in water and may be exported into the pelagic zone of the lake.     

凋落物多样性及组成对凋落物分解及土壤微生物群落的影响——二氧化碳倍增条件下

受全球变化的影响生物多样性的丧失日益严重,及时了解凋落物物种多样性及其组成如何直接或者通过调节微生物群落来间接影响凋落物分解已经成为生态学领域的热点问题之一。在呼伦贝尔典型草原区,羊草（Leymus chinensis）为原生群落建群种,茵陈蒿（Artemisia capillaris）、麻花头（Serratula centauroides）、二裂委陵菜（Potentilla bifurca）在退化及恢复群落中的多度均较大,本研究以此4种植物的凋落物为研究对象,在两倍于当前大气CO₂浓度（800 μmol/mol）条件下,通过嵌套实验设计来研究凋落物多样性（凋落物组成）对凋落物质量、C、N残余率和残余C/N的影响,并深入分析凋落物初始性质以及土壤革兰氏阳性菌（G⁺）、革兰氏阴性菌（G^-）、细菌（B）、真菌（F）及土壤总微生物磷脂脂肪酸（Phospholipid Fatty Acid,PLFA）含量和F/B对凋落物分解的影响。结果表明：（1）凋落物多样性及组成对凋落物质量、C、N残余率以及残余C/N均具有显著影响;凋落物组成对G⁺ PLFAs含量具有显著影响;（2）冗余分析（Redundancy Analysis,RDA）结果表明凋落物组成对凋落物分解和土壤微生物群落相关指标的影响高于凋落物多样性;（3）结构方程模型（Structural Equation Model,SEM）结果表明凋落物初始木质素含量和初始C/N均对凋落物分解具有显著影响,其中凋落物初始木质素含量起主导作用,其还可通过对土壤真菌PLFAs含量的影响来间接影响凋落物N残余率和残余C/N。所得结果可为大气CO₂浓度升高条件下退化草原生态系统的物质循环特征的预测乃至草原生态系统功能的合理评估提供数据支持。     

Serum copper concentration as an index of lung injury in rats exposed to hemithorax irradiation

Serum copper concentration was evaluated as an index of lung injury (monitored by lung prostacyclin production) with respect to the effects of time, dose, dose fractionation, and penicillamine dose modification in rats irradiated to the right hemithorax. Both lung PGI2 production and serum Cu concentration increased with increasing 60Co gamma-ray dose in animals sacrificed 2 or 6 months postirradiation, and the highest values for both responses were observed at the latter autopsy time. At 2 months postirradiation, the elevations in lung PGI2 production and serum Cu concentration also were spared similarly when total radiation doses were delivered in five equal daily fractions as compared to single doses. Finally, the ability of D-penicillamine to ameliorate the radiation-induced hyperproduction of PGI2 by rat lung was accompanied by an attenuation of the dose-dependent increase in serum Cu concentration at 2 months postirradiation in the drug-treated rats. In contrast, serum iron concentration was independent of time, dose, and penicillamine. At 2 months after irradiation, there also was a dose-dependent increase in lung hydroxyproline (collagen) content, the magnitude of which correlated closely with serum copper concentration in individual animals. Thus serum copper concentration is an accurate and minimally invasive index of lung injury in rats irradiated to the hemithorax and can predict lung hydroxyproline (collagen) content in individual irradiated rats.     

Composition of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Casuarina</Emphasis> leaf litter and its influence on<Emphasis Type="Italic">Frankia-Casuarina</Emphasis> symbiosis in soil

Plant needles ofCasuarina equisetifolia were collected and analyzed in parallel with soil analysis. In three strains ofFrankia—symbionts ofCasuarina—their infectivity and plant performance was determinedin vitro after soil amendment with different leaf litter concentrations. Only one strain was able to nodulate the plant at all litter concentrations (0.5, 3 and 5%) although the nodules were very small. However, all treated plants grew poorly; their growth was reduced by approximately 90% (for 5% litter concentration) compared to plants grown on untreated soil, on the basis of total dry mass. Inhibition of nodulation can be attributed to high concentrations of some elements and compounds that were either found inC. equisetifolia litter or originally found in soil (i.e. chloride, cyanide, copper, manganese and phenols). In general, plant growth decreased as more litter was added. Plant total nitrogen content was also reduced after increasing the litter concentration. The inhibitory effect of high litter concentrations was mainly on plant growth and to a lesser extent on plant nodulation byFrankia strains.     

Litter production and accumulation in Pinus patula plantations of the Mpumalanga Province,South Africa

Litter accumulates on the forest floor in Pinus patula Schlechtd. et Cham. plantations in Mpumalanga, South Africa especially in high altitude sites, as a result of an imbalance between litter production and decomposition. To determine which factor caused this increase we measured litter production in an age series of P. patula growing at low and high altitude sites. Litter production was shown to increase with increasing stand. The average annual litter production figure ranged from 3.64 to 5.89 t ha-1 yr-1 measured over a two-year period, with maximum litterfall occurring from mid-winter to early spring. Litter accumulation, as measured by litter depth, ranged from 39 to 121 mm. No significant relationship existed between litter production and altitude; however, litter accumulation was shown to increase with increasing stand age and increasing altitude. Increased litter production was, therefore, not responsible for the accumulation of litter in high altitude sites.     

Litter input from riparian vegetation to streams: a case study of the Njoro River,Kenya

Allochthonous coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) input into the Njoro River was measured between January and June 1998 at two contrasting sites: open-canopy and closed-canopy sites. Bank runoff and aerial drift traps were used for collecting CPOM inputs over periods of two weeks. Collected litter was sorted into four categories: leaves, fruits, wood and plant fragments. Monthly input ranged from 77 to 228 g ash free dry weight m^–1 for bank runoff input and from 64 to 129 g ash free dry weight m^–2 for aerial input. The highest input of 228 g ash free dry weight m^–1 was recorded in May at the closed-canopy site. Wood, fruits and plant fragments of particle size >100 m contributed a mean ± SE of 60±9% of the total inputs with the rest from leaf litter. The closed-canopy site had higher inputs (P<0.05) of bank and aerial input than the open canopy site. There was no relationship between total bank runoff input and rainfall (r _s = 0.08), however, total aerial input increased with decrease in rainfall (r _s = – 0.59). There were differences between inputs from different plant species (P<0.05) that ranked in the following order: Syzygium cordatum > Rhus natalensis > Pittosporum viridiflorum > Vangueria madagascariensis. Removal of riparian vegetation from the banks of the Njoro River would alter the quantity and quality of the litter and reduce CPOM inputs to the river and to a downstream lake with attendant consequences to the energy budget of biocoenoses in the two ecosystems.     

Effects of enhanced atmospheric CO2 and nutrient supply on the quality and subsequent decomposition of fine roots of Betula pendula Roth. and Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.

Fine root litter derived from birch (Betula pendula Roth.) and Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) plants grown under two CO₂ atmospheric concentrations (350 ppm and 600 ppm) and two nutrient regimes was used for decomposition studies in laboratory microcosms. Although there were interactions between litter type, CO₂/fertiliser treatments and decomposition rates, in general, an increase in the C/N ratio of the root tissue was observed for roots of both species grown under elevated CO₂ in unfertilized soil. Both weight loss and respiration of decomposing birch roots were significantly reduced in materials derived from enriched CO₂, whilst the decomposition of spruce roots showed no such effect. A parallel experiment was performed using Betula pendula root litter grown under different N regimes, in order to test the relationship between C/N ratio of litter and root decomposition rate. A highly significant (p<0.001) negative correlation between C/N ratio and root litter respiration was found, with an r²=0.97. The results suggest that the increased C/N ratio of plant tissues induced by elevated CO₂ can result in a reduction of decomposition rate, with a resulting increase in forest soil C stores.     

The contribution of abiotic processes to buried litter decomposition in the northern Chihuahuan desert

Summary Creosobebush (Larrea tridentata) fine litter was treated with either the general biocide HgCl₂ and CuSO₄ or water (controls) and buried 5 cm beneath the soil surface in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. The treated litter showed significantly less mass loss than controls during the three month summer-autumn field study; controls lost about 20% of the original mass while treated litter lost less than 2%. In addition, the total nitrogen content of the control litter increased from an initial concentration of about 14.08 g kg^-1 to 17.62 g kg^-1 dry weight by the end of the study, while treated litter nitrogen content decreased to 13.30 g kg^-1. Results suggest abiotic processes other than leaching have little effect on the decomposition of buried litter in this environment.     

Impacts of Argentine ants on invertebrate communities with below-ground consequences

The Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr), is an invasive species that has been associated with various negative impacts in native communities around the world. These impacts, as for other invasive ants, are principally towards native ant species, and impacts on below-ground processes such as decomposition remain largely unexplored. We investigated the relationship between Argentine ants and invertebrate fauna, litter decomposition and soil microbial activity between paired invaded and uninvaded sites at two locations in Auckland, New Zealand, where there has been no research to date on their impacts. We examined the diversity and composition of invertebrate and microorganisms communities, and differences in soil and litter components. The composition of invertebrates (Order-level, ant and beetle species) was different between invaded and uninvaded sites, with fewer ants, isopods, amphipods, and fungus-feeding beetles at the invaded sites, whereas Collembola were more abundant at the invaded sites. There were significant differences in soil chemistry, including higher carbon and nitrogen microbial biomass at uninvaded sites. Several litter components were significantly different for Macropiper excelsum. The fibre content of litter was higher, and key nutrients (e.g. nitrogen) were lower, at invaded sites, indicating less breakdown of litter at invaded sites. A greater knowledge of the history of invasion at a site would clarify variation in the impacts of Argentine ants, but their persistence in the ground litter layer may have long-term implications for soil and plant health in native ecosystems.