Foliar nitrogen dynamics of an invasive legume compared to native non-legumes in fynbos riparian zones varying in water availability
| dc.contributor.author | Crous, Casparus J. | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Drake, Deanne C. | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Jacobsen, Anna L. | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Pratt, R. Brandon | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Jacobs, Shayne M. | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Esler, Karen J. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2019-03-11T10:58:24Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-08-27T12:44:24Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2019-03-11T10:58:24Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-08-27T12:44:24Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2019 | |
| dc.description | CITATION: Crous, C. J. et al. 2019. Foliar nitrogen dynamics of an invasive legume compared to native non-legumes in fynbos riparian zones varying in water availability. Water SA, 45(1): 103-109, doi:10.4314/wsa.v45i1.12. | |
| dc.description.abstract | The legume Acacia mearnsii invades South Africa’s fynbos riparian zones and may alter the nitrogen (N) dynamics and supply in these areas that typically support few native N fixers. Nitrogen uptake by A. mearnsii may also be influenced by water availability, potentially affecting riparian-specific performance and impact estimations. We expected to find functional differences between the invasive legume and the two co-occurring but non-leguminous native species Brabejum stellatifolium and Metrosideros angustifolia. We also wanted to examine whether in-situ water availability affected N source or uptake in the invasive species. We found A. mearnsii was indeed functioning differently from non-N-fixing native species, and had considerably higher foliar %N. Interestingly, 15N abundance and uptake were associated with site hydrology, meaning water availability should be scrutinised when assuming N-fixing in A. mearnsii using δ15N. Nonetheless, higher water availability to A. mearnsii in fynbos riparian ecosystems did increase foliar N uptake. This has implications for prioritizing clearing of sites with increased nutrient deposition, such as dense stands in relatively moist riparian zones. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Publisher's version | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Crous, C.J.; Drake, D.C.; Jacobsen, A.L.; Pratt, R.B.; Jacobs, S.M.; Esler, K.J. (2019) Foliar nitrogen dynamics of an invasive legume compared to native non-legumes in fynbos riparian zones varying in water availability. WaterSA, 45(1): 103-109 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.issn | 0378-4738 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/121475 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | South African Water Research Commission | |
| dc.rights.holder | Authors retain copyright | |
| dc.subject | Acacia mearnsii | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Foliar nitrogen dynamics of an invasive legume compared to native non-legumes in fynbos riparian zones varying in water availability | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Article | en_ZA |