Impacts of invasive plants on Nitrogen cycling in a montane tropical grassland

N-fixing invasive plants can change ecosystem processes such as Nitrogen (N) cycling. We investigated how N-fixing invasive plant species change nutrient cycling in soils of the montane Nilgiri grasslands of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, India.

Invasion increased Total Inorganic Nitrogen (TIN) and Phosphatase Activity (PA). Although invasion did not significantly increase N-mineralization rates (N-MIN), average N-MIN was higher in invaded areas in the dry season. These changes can influence the success of restoration efforts, and should be considered while planning such activities.