Performance of five arid land shrub species in direct seeding: implications for seed-based restoration

Direct seeding is one of the most feasible techniques in practical, logistical, and economic terms for large-scale restoration of arid lands. However, several factors are still under study to enhance the outcomes of this restoration alternative, with species selection being a pivotal component. To evaluate differences in the performance of species in direct seeding, we selected five shrubs from the arid region known as “Monte Desert” in Argentina: Atriplex lampa, Hyalis argentea, Larrea divaricata, Neltuma flexuosa var. depressa, and Parkinsonia praecox. Direct seeding was carried out in furrows (4.0 m long, 0.5 m wide, and 0.4 m deep) with seeds previously treated to dormancy alleviation and with a density of 250 seeds/m². We evaluated results in 12 furrows, where topsoil and hydrogel were deposited. The biological variables considered were seedling emergence, seedlings establishment regarding sowed seeds, and seedling success (survival in relation to emerged seedlings) after almost 3 years. The species with the highest emergence and establishment rates was A. lampa (50.16 and 23.75%, respectively). L. divaricata showed the lowest values for these variables (2.17 and 0.83%, respectively). On the other hand, the survival of N. flexuosa seedlings was >2× that of L. divaricata (65.02 vs. 30.36%). We discuss the notable differences in species performance and the possible role of furrows in the results.     

鼎湖山退化马尾松林、混交林和季风常绿阔叶林土壤全磷和有效磷的比较

土壤全磷和有效磷浓度的变化随林型和季节不同而异,总的来说,其大小顺序为:季风常绿阔叶林> 混交林>马尾松林(林型);夏季>冬季>春季>秋季(季节),有效磷浓度为:秋季>春季>冬季>夏季(季 节)。收割林下层和凋落物这种人为干扰活动对土壤全磷含量的影响不明显,但对土壤有效磷含量具有显著 的影响。在试验开始时(1990年5月),土壤全磷和有效磷浓度在马尾松林保护样地(停止人为干扰)和处理样 地(按当地习惯继续收割林下层和凋落物)间的差异均不显著。经七年多的试验后,土壤全磷浓度在保护样地 和处理样地间仍十分相似,但土壤有效磷浓度在保护样地显著高于处理样地,说明保护样地在停止人为干扰 后相对于继续受干扰的处理样地其林地条件得到了改善,从而使土壤有效磷含量也得到提高。只要停止人为 干扰,鼎湖山退化马尾松林土壤有效磷供应力是可以自然恢复到季风常绿阔叶林的水平。     

Legacy of thinning on woody species composition and structure in southern Appalachian Mountain hardwood forests: restoration implications

In the Appalachian Mountains, Liriodendron tulipifera monocultures are widespread, with these forests lacking both species and structural diversity. In this study, we developed models that described the effects of thinning treatments, conducted almost 60 years ago, on the density, composition, and functional identity of the woody understory in L. tulipifera forests. The woody understory of these thinned L. tulipifera forests was diverse, with the small seedling (<1.4 m), large seedling (≥1.4 m and <2.54 cm dbh), and sapling (≥2.54 and <12.7 cm) layers possessing 38, 32, and 23 species, respectively. Although model performance was low to moderate (r² = 0.05–0.40), we found that legacy effects, alone or in combination with environmental variables, explained, in part, the variability associated with the density, composition, and functional identity of the small seedling, large seedling, and sapling size classes, with the relative influence of legacy versus environmental effects varying by metric and size class. Post-thinning basal area and/or percent of basal area removed were not the primary legacy effects influencing the woody understory. Instead, legacy effects associated with species composition of the overstory before and/or after thinning along with average stem diameter post-thinning, variation in stem diameter post-thinning, and age at the time of thinning were more influential than density or thinning intensity. This study provides evidence that conserving species diversity during forest management activities can have positive long-term effects on composition and function of the woody understory and increase restoration potential.     

皖南亚热带常绿阔叶林林下灌木层主要树种叶片养分特征

对皖南亚热带常绿阔叶林林下灌木层主要树种草珊瑚〔Sarcandra glabra(Thunb.)Nakai〕、乌药〔Lindera aggregata(Sims)Kosterm.〕、香桂(Cinnamomum subavenium Miq.)、红楠(Machilus thunbergii Sieb.et Zucc.)、连蕊茶〔Camellia cuspidata(Kochs)H.J.Veitch〕、甜槠〔Castanopsis eyrei(Champ.ex Benth.)Tutch.〕、矩叶鼠刺(Itea oblonga Hand.-Mazz.)、红淡比(Cleyera japonica Thunb.)和小叶蚊母树〔Distylium buxifolium(Hance)Merr.〕叶片养分(包括C、N、P、K、Ca和Mg)含量、单位叶面积养分含量和比叶面积进行了测定,并分析了比叶面积与养分含量和单位叶面积养分含量的相关性。结果表明:9种树种叶片的C、N、P、K、Ca和Mg含量分别为438.09~492.31、9.79~15.60、0.33~2.06、11.39~32.52、3.84~13.34和2.85~14.05 g·kg-1,单位叶面积C、N、P、K、Ca和Mg含量分别为24.48~47.38、0.66~1.03、0.02~0.21、0.73~1.82、0.22~1.35和0.20~1.05 g·m-2,C/N比、C/P比和N/P比分别为31.40~47.88、227.76~1 495.66和5.26~32.90。9种树种叶片的比叶面积平均值为14.5 m2·kg-1,其中草珊瑚的比叶面积最大(17.90 m2·kg-1)、小叶蚊母树的比叶面积最小(9.89 m2·kg-1)。相关性分析结果表明:供试树种叶片的C/P比与N/P比间呈极显著正相关;比叶面积与叶片N含量呈显著正相关,与单位叶面积C、N和Ca含量分别呈极显著和显著负相关,与其他指标的相关性均不显著。综合分析结果表明:皖南亚热带常绿阔叶林下灌木层主要树种叶片的养分含量及比叶面积差异明显,其中,乌药、草珊瑚、矩叶鼠刺和香桂叶片的养分含量较高,而小叶蚊母树、红淡比和红楠的单位叶面积养分含量较高。     

Influence of fire and mechanical sagebrush reduction treatments on restoration seedings in Utah,United States

Overabundance of woody plants in semiarid ecosystems can degrade understory herbaceous vegetation and often requires shrub reduction and seeding to recover ecosystem services. We used meta‐analysis techniques to assess the effects of fire and mechanical shrub reduction over two post‐treatment timeframes (1–4 and 5–10 years) on changes in cover and frequency of 15 seeded species at 63 restoration sites with high potential for recovery. Compared to mechanical treatments, fire resulted in greater increases in seeded species. Native shrubs did not increase, and forbs generally declined over time; however, large increases in perennial grasses were observed, suggesting that seeding efforts contributed to enhanced understory herbaceous conditions. We found greater increases in a few non‐native species than native species across all treatments, suggesting the possibility that interference among seeded species may have influenced results of this regional assessment. Differences among treatments and species were likely driven by seedbed conditions, which should be carefully considered in restoration planning. Site characteristics also dictated seeded species responses: while forbs showed greater increases in cover over the long term at higher elevation sites considered to be more resilient to disturbance, surprisingly, shrubs and grasses had greater increases in cover and frequency at lower elevation sites where resilience is typically much lower. Further research is needed to understand the causes of forb mortality over time, and to decipher how greater increases of non‐native relative to native seeded species will influence species diversity and successional trajectories of restoration sites.     

温度对亚热带地区常见树种叶片甲烷排放的影响

以亚热带常见树种米槠、木荷、浙江桂、罗浮栲、杉木和柑橘为对象,利用控制试验研究了温度对树木叶片甲烷(CH4)排放的影响.结果表明:当温度在10℃时,供试的6种树木中,仅木荷、柑橘和罗浮栲的叶片排放CH4;温度高于20℃时,所有树木叶片均可排放CH4.温度高于30℃时,叶片排放CH4的平均排放速率(1.010ngCH4·g-1DM·h-1)是10～30℃时平均排放速率(0.255ngCH4·g-1DM·h-1)的3.96倍.增温对柑橘和杉木CH4排放速率的影响显著高于其他4种树木.培养时间对叶片排放CH4速率有显著影响,温度胁迫对树木排放CH4的影响受植物活性的控制.在低温或高温条件下,树木干叶均不能排放CH4.高温胁迫对树木叶片排放CH4有重要影响,全球变暖可能增加植物的CH4排放.     

南亚热带气候下三种树木径向生长季节节律研究

用带状测树器对南亚热带气候条件下的落叶树柚木（Ｔｅｃｔｏｎａ ｇｒａｎｄｉｓ Ｌ．ｆ．）、喜树（Ｃａｍｐｔｏｔｈｅｃａ ａｃｕｍｉｎａｔａ Ｄｅｃｎｅ）和常绿树火烧花（Ｍａｙｏｄｅｎｄｒｏｎ ｉｇｅｕｍ Ｋｕｒｚ）１６年生（测定开始时年龄）的立木的径向生长进行了６ａ的测定。研究结果表明,所测立木的年均胸围生长量在１．５～２．５ｃｍ（胸径生长量为０．４８～０．８０ｃｍ）之间,年间有一定的差异。年生长     

片断森林植物多样性及其保护和恢复价值

森林片断化是导致生物多样性丧失最严重的单一因素。在片断森林中植物多样性除与片断面积有关外,还受边缘效应、瞬时取样效应、驰豫效应、远距离扩散的挽救效应以及背景生态系统的性质等影响。本文阐述了在这些综合因素影响下,片断森林中植物种类、丰富、性质的变化。由于这些综合因素的影响,不少片断森林尚有较高的保护价值,但需建立合适的评价体系和标准。片断森林在确定生态恢复目标、为恢复实践提供种源等方面也有重要价值。提出了对片断森林的保护措施。     

天山林区六种灌木生物量的建模及其器官分配的适应性

灌木全株生物量估算模型的构建仍存在一定困难,对灌木生物量在器官分配上所体现的适应性研究也不够充分。以天山林区6种常见灌木为研究对象,在天山的东段、中段、西段林区分别设置样地进行群落调查,由此以全株收获法取得6种常见灌木若干标准株的全株、根、枝、叶及各径级根的生物量,将D~2H(地径平方与高度的乘积)与V(冠幅面积与高度的乘积)分别选为估测模型的自变量,通过回归分析法建立了各种灌木全株生物量的最优估算模型,然后比较了此6种灌木全株生物量在营养器官上分配差异以及根系生物量在径级上的分配差异。结果表明:(1)天山林区6种常见灌木中,小檗(Berberis heteropoda Schrenk)、忍冬(Lonicera hispida Pall.ex Roem.et Schuet.)、栒子(Cotoneaster melanocarpus Lodd.)的全株生物量约为8.48—9.01 kg,蔷薇(Rosa spinosissima L.)、绣线菊(Spiraea hypericifolia L.)、方枝柏(Juniperus pseudosabina Fisch.et Mey.)的全株生物量约为2.71—3.20 kg;(2)蔷薇、绣线菊、栒子的全株生物量最优估测模型是以V为自变量的函数,小檗、忍冬、方枝柏的全株生物量最优估测模型是以D~2H为自变量的函数,各模型R~2值均在0.850以上,且在P0.05水平上达到显著,模型模拟结果达到了较高的准确度;(3)6种灌木全株生物量在根、枝上的分配比重差异不显著,仅在叶上的分配比重有差异(P0.05);根系生物量在径级上的分配均呈现随根系径级下降而减少的规律,6种灌木在径级大于2 mm根上的分配比重存在差异(P0.05,径级大于20 mm根为P0.01水平);(4)6种灌木全株生物量在营养器官上的分配差异以及根系生物量在径级上的分配差异均体现了各物种对其生境选择的适应策略。     

Accuracy of space-for-time substitution for vegetation state prediction following shrub restoration

Aims Space-for-time substitution (SFT) is often used for vegetation status estimation during the recovery process of deserts. However, the evaluated accuracy of SFT remains uncertain. An eight-year located observation was used to assess the validity of SFT for vegetation state prediction.Methods This study analyzed a chronosequence of Caragana microphylla Lam. plantings using the located observation method to test the accuracy of SFT for vegetation state prediction in the mobile sand dunes of the Horqin Sandy Land in northeastern China from July 2005 to June 2013.Important findings According to SFT, simple vegetation parameters (density, coverage and biomass) were found to be unstable, while sophisticated vegetation parameters (species diversity and evenness) were relatively stable across the experimental treatments during the study period. Conversely, both the simple and sophisticated parameters were found to be relatively stable when tested using the located observation method. Furthermore, most simple vegetation parameters slightly increased, while sophisticated parameters slightly decreased after eight years of field observations. Thus, long-term restoration management facilitated improvements in the simple parameters, but may have adversely impacted the sophisticated parameters in the post-restoration community. Our results suggest that sophisticated vegetation parameter states can be predicted by SFT, while simple vegetation parameter states are not well predicted by SFT. In conclusion, located observations or other effective evaluation methods must be employed to offset the deficiency of the SFT method for the prediction of vegetation parameters.     

四种灌木幼苗对水分胁迫的生理响应

柠条锦鸡儿(Caragana korshinskii)、白皮锦鸡儿(C.leucophloea)、刺叶锦鸡儿(C.acanthophylla)和长枝木蓼(Atraphaxis virgata)是乌鲁木齐周边植被组成中的重要植物种,在植被恢复中具有潜在价值。研究通过人工控制水分比较这4种灌木对干旱胁迫的生理响应,结果表明:叶片的组织含水量和叶绿素含量随着干旱胁迫的加剧而降低;脯氨酸在干旱胁迫下的积累程度较可溶性糖大;除刺叶锦鸡儿外其它植物幼苗的丙二醛在干旱胁迫下均无明显的积累(P>0.05)。4种灌木在干旱胁迫下通过渗透调节、保持膜系统稳定等途径维持正常的生理活动,对干旱具有一定的适应能力。4种灌木抗旱能力的排序为白皮锦鸡儿>柠条锦鸡儿>长枝木蓼>刺叶锦鸡儿。     

鼎湖山主要森林植物凋落物分解及其对N沉降的响应

研究了鼎湖山森林主要植物凋落物分解及其对模拟 N沉降的响应。凋落物分解速率随林分、树种和分解阶段不同而异。分解试验 3个月后 ,季风常绿阔叶林、混交林和马尾松林分解物残存量占起始量的比例平均分别为 0 .5 0 ,0 .80和 0 .87,且它们的差异均达显著水平 (p<0 .0 5 ) ;6个月后 ,这 3种林分的分解物残存量占起始量的比例平均分别为 0 .4 1、0 .73和 0 .70。试验 3个月后 ,所有试验树种中凋落物分解最快的树种是季风常绿阔叶林的锥栗 (Castanopsis chinensis,残存量占起始量的比例为0 .34)最慢为马尾松林中的马尾松 (Pinus massoniana,残存量占起始量的比例为 0 .87) ;经 6个月后 ,最快的树种是季风常绿阔叶林的华润楠 (Machilus chinensis,残存量占起始量的比例为 0 .2 5 ) ,最慢为混交林中的马尾松 (残存量占起始量的比例为0 .75 )。 N沉降对凋落物分解的影响也随林分、树种和分解阶段不同而异。在马尾松林中 ,N沉降仅在试验开始 3个月对马尾松针叶凋落物分解存在明显的促进作用 (p<0 .0 5 )。在混交林中 ,经 6个月试验后 ,低 N处理对马尾松针叶凋落物分解仍无明显作用 ,中 N处理则明显促进其分解 (p<0 .0 5 ) ,但在两次取样中 N沉降处理对荷木 (Schima superba)凋落物的分解均无显著影响。 N沉降增     

亚热带退化森林不同恢复方式对土壤团聚体胶结物质及稳定性的影响

退化森林的恢复一直是林业和生态学研究的热点。良好的森林土壤结构有助于林木生长发育,作为土壤最基本的结构单元,土壤团聚体组成和稳定性是衡量土壤肥力和质量的重要指标,其团聚结构的形成依靠土壤胶结物质。然而,土壤胶结物质与团聚体稳定性之间的关系尚不确定。为探明亚热带退化森林的不同恢复方式对团聚体稳定性的影响及其潜在机制,以自然恢复的次生林为对照(CK),选取了亚热带三种常见的人工林：一代杉木林(P1)、二代杉木林(P2)和黄山松林(P3),测定土壤团聚体稳定性及其胶结物质的含量,并分析了各胶结物质对团聚体稳定性的影响。研究发现：不同森林恢复方式显著影响了土壤pH值、碳氮比、速效磷含量、团聚体的组成和稳定性。所有森林类型中,三种人工林的团聚体稳定性显著高于CK,P2的大团聚体所占比例最大,团聚体稳定性最高。恢复方式显著影响了土壤游离氧化铁含量、菌根密度和易提取球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白(EEG)含量。团聚体稳定性与游离氧化铁含量、菌根密度呈正相关,但与EEG含量呈负相关。研究结果表明,亚热带退化森林的人工恢复比自然恢复更有助于增强土壤团聚体稳定性,土壤游离氧化铁、菌根密度和EEG是显著影响团聚体稳定...     

Forest restoration on floodplains mantled with legacy sediments: removing sediments appears unnecessary for successful restoration

Recent studies suggest very low survival of seedlings planted in streamside areas containing thick (>1 m) deposits of legacy alluvial sediments. We planted 2,450 seedlings representing eight species in a streamside area with thick legacy sediments and monitored them for 5 years. The overall survival of approximately 60% (range across species: approximately 38–74%) was surprisingly high and mean overall growth per seedling (approximately 3.27 m) was very good, ranging between 2.5 and 4.7 m depending on tree species. Although both seedling survival and growth exhibited significant spatial variation, none of the results supports the idea that legacy sediment thickness up to 1.5 m is an important factor with regard to success of streamside reforestation. For survival, soil depth was significant for the sediment accretion zone but not the legacy sediment zone. For growth, the response was significant and positive, with the eight species on average growing significantly better as legacy sediment increased in thickness. The results suggest that the presence of legacy sediment up to 1.5 m thick should not preclude the successful restoration of natural forest along stream channels in the eastern Piedmont of North America. Finally, the study suggests that the U.S. federal criteria for reforestation success (i.e. 222 stems per hectare after 5 years) can still be met on legacy sediment sites by increasing the planting density approximately 25% from the required minimum of 296 stems per hectare to 370.     

Habitat conditions at beaver settlement sites: implications for beaver restoration projects

Recognition that beavers are integral components of stream ecosystems has resulted in an increase in beaver‐mediated habitat restoration projects. Beaver restoration projects are frequently implemented in degraded stream systems with little or no beaver activity. However, selection of restoration sites is often based on habitat suitability research comparing well‐established beaver colonies to unoccupied stream sections or abandoned colonies. Because beavers dramatically alter areas they occupy, assessing habitat conditions at active colonies may over‐emphasize habitat characteristics that are modified by beaver activity. During 2015–2017, we conducted beaver activity surveys on streams in the upper Missouri River watershed in southwest Montana, United States, to investigate habitat selection by beavers starting new colonies in novel areas. We compared new colony locations in unmodified stream segments to unsettled segments to evaluate conditions that promoted colonization. Newly settled stream segments had relatively low gradients (β ± SE = ?0.72 ± 0.27), narrow channels (β = ?1.31 ± 0.46), high channel complexity (β = 0.76 ± 0.42), high canopy cover of woody riparian vegetation (β = 0.56 ± 0.21), and low‐lying areas directly adjacent to the stream (β = 0.36 ± 0.24), where β denotes covariate effect sizes. Habitat selection patterns differed between our new settlement site analysis and an analysis of occupied versus unoccupied stream segments, suggesting that assessing habitat suitability based on active colonies may result in misidentification of suitable site conditions for beaver restoration. Our research provides recommendations for beaver restoration practitioners to select restoration sites that will have the highest probability of successful colony establishment.     

贮藏条件对河西走廊四种旱生灌木种子萌发的影响

不同贮藏条件下,探讨了河西走廊枸杞(Lycium barbarum)、黑果枸杞(L.rutheni-cum)、花棒(Hedysarum scorpaium)和泡果白刺(Nitraria sphaerocarpa)4种旱生灌木种子萌发情况。结果表明:枸杞、黑果枸杞和花棒种子萌发对贮藏条件有一致性的响应,即经过低温湿润(-5℃和4℃)贮藏后有较高的萌发率、较快的萌发速度和较早的萌发开始时间,贮藏条件对泡果白刺的种子萌发(<30%)的影响较小;冬季冷屋贮藏后(-5℃,湿润)的枸杞种子萌发率(68%)显著大于冰箱贮藏(4℃,湿润)和室温干燥贮藏(<20%);冰箱和冬季冷屋贮藏后黑果枸杞种子萌发率约80%,室温干燥贮藏后萌发率仅为5%;冰箱和冬季冷屋贮藏后的花棒种子萌发率达到88%和65%,干燥贮藏后为40%。低温层积(-5℃和4℃)是打破枸杞、花棒和黑果枸杞种子休眠的有效方法之一。     

浑善达克沙地6种灌木生物量模拟

在干旱半干旱区,乔木比较稀疏或难以存活,灌木往往在植被群落中占有很大的优势地位,其生态功能及生态学意义尤其值得重视。浑善达克沙地疏林草地是沙地顶级植物群落,其中乔木稀疏分布,而灌木在沙甸以及沙陇背风坡呈密集分布。灌木在固定沙丘、改良土壤、提供栖息地等方面具有重要的生态意义,其生物量组成也在沙地植被群落中占有很大比重。已往的研究中,灌木相比乔木通常处于次要地位,对灌木的研究尚不充分,灌木生物量的模拟方法亦多采用乔木生物量的模拟方法。然而灌木形态结构与乔木有明显差异,专门针对灌木的生物量模拟方法研究尚不多见。以6种沙地灌木为样本,基于异速生长模型,对比了若干地表测量指标对灌木生物量的预测能力,其中设计了一种更贴近灌木实际形态的圆台体积作为新的预测指标。研究结果表明:(1)在单因素指标中,相比高度和地径,冠幅与灌木生物量的相关性更强。(2)相比单因素指标,复合指标与灌木生物量之间的相关性更强。其中冠幅相关的复合指标更优于地径相关的复合指标。这预示着冠幅以及冠幅相关的复合指标对灌木生物量具有较好的预测能力。(3)圆台体积能进一步提高对灌木生物量的预测能力。相关分析和拟合评价结果显示,圆台体积与灌木生物量的相关性更强,拟合误差较小,并且对于不同的灌木种类,其相关性和拟合精度表现出较高的稳定性。这意味着圆台体积对于不同的灌木种类,均具有较好的生物量预测效果。因此建议,在灌木属性测量较为充分的情况下,圆台体积是更为理想的预测指标,而在测量不充分情况下,冠幅及其相关复合指标更适宜进行灌木生物量预测。研究结果最终建立了6种沙地灌木的圆台体积-生物量的异速生长模拟方程,为进一步研究沙地灌木的碳储量以及灌木在半干旱植物群落中的生态意义提供科学基础。     

Stoichiometric and nutrient resorption characteristics of dominant tree species in subtropical Chinese forests

This study investigated seasonal patterns in stoichiometric ratios, nutrient resorption characteristics, and nutrient use strategies of dominant tree species at three successional stages in subtropical China, which have not been fully understood. Fresh leaf and leaf litterfall samples were collected in growing and nongrowing seasons for determining the concentrations of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P). Then, stoichiometric ratios (i.e., C:N, C:P, N:P, and C:N:P) and resorption parameters were calculated. Our results found that there was no consistent variation in leaf C:N and C:P ratios among different species. However, leaf N:P ratios in late‐successional species became significantly higher, indicating that P limitation increases during successional development. Due to the P limitation in this study area, P resorption efficiency and proficiency were higher than corresponding N resorption parameters. Dominant tree species at early‐successional stage adopted “conservative consumption” nutrient use strategy, whereas the species at late‐successional stage inclined to adopt “resource spending” strategy.     

Germination and establishment of Sahelian rangeland species

Summary In the context of a study on the dynamics of Sahelian rangelands, seed characteristics of about 30 species have been described, with particular attention to germination characteristics. Data on both form and weight of the seeds are presented. Germination was studied under controlled conditions in a climate room. Optimum conditions for germination were established, and the species were characterized by induction time, slope of germination vs. time curve and final germination percentage. The results obtained under climate room conditions appear to be correlated satisfactorily with the behaviour of the different species in the field.     

Invasion of the alien shrub Prunus laurocerasus in suburban deciduous forests: Effects on native vegetation and soil properties

Most invading alien plants affect native biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. In a field survey, we assessed the impact of the invasive shrub Prunus laurocerasus on the native vegetation and soil properties in suburban deciduous forests in the region of Basel, Switzerland. We installed four pairs of plots in patches of P. laurocerasus and in adjacent not invaded areas in each of twelve forest areas. Native species richness, Shannon-diversity and species composition of the ground vegetation and shrub layer were assessed in each plot. Furthermore, in each plot we measured physical and soil chemical characteristics, enzyme activities and the carbon source utilization pattern of the soil microbial community using Ecoplates™. The maximum age of P. laurocerasus in each plot was determined using tree ring analysis, indicating the time elapsed since the invasive plant has established. A lower native plant species richness in both the ground vegetation and shrub layer was observed in plots with presence of P. laurocerasus. A different species composition of the ground vegetation was also found among plots with and without the invasive shrub. Plots invaded by P. laurocerasus had a lower soil moisture content than control plots. The intensity, diversity and substrate richness of the carbon sources were increased in soil from invaded plots compared to soil in control plots. However, the chemical soil characteristics examined and the activities of enzymes were not influenced by the invasive plant. The effects of P. laurocerasus became more pronounced with the time elapsed since the invasive plant has established. Thus, the removal of young P. laurocerasus individuals would be an appropriate management practice for this invasive shrub species.