Soil legacies of a primary invader strongly drive secondary invasions for species that are phylogenetically distant (PRJCA039280)
Invasive plant species can alter soil abiotic and biotic properties, with some changes persisting long after the primary invader's eradication. However, how soil legacies will influence secondary invasions following control of primary invaders remains unclear, hindering development of targeted control and post-removal management strategies. We used Solidago canadensis as the primary invader and established five field soil conditioning treatments: control (bare plots), invasion treatment (unmanaged invaded plots), three management treatments (invaded plots managed by cutting, herbicide application or burning). Subsequently, we assessed responses of nine pairs of secondary invaders and native congeners in these conditioned soils within a greenhouse setting.