Nutrient addition increases non-native plant growth but not survival in a subarctic treeline environment
Published in Biological Invasions, 2026
Abstract
High-latitude ecosystems are relatively uninvaded by non-native plant species compared to mid-latitudes. An exception is in some human-disturbed areas, where non-native species may benefit from an increase in soil nutrients following anthropogenic disturbance. In the subarctic settlement of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, over a hundred non-native plant species have been recorded within town and other human-associated disturbed areas, and while some of these species have persisted for decades, almost none has spread into the surrounding natural ecosystems. We used a field experiment to investigate the effects of annual additions of nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) on the survival and growth of three perennial non-native species (Linaria vulgaris, Plantago major, Taraxacum officinale). We found that nutrient addition increased non-native plant growth, but had no positive effect on their survival. Instead, survival rapidly decreased over time, irrespective of nutrient addition. This suggests that nitrogen or phosphorous limitations are not the sole barriers to successful northern invasions, though they may limit the growth of any surviving plants. Instead, nutrient supply likely interacts with factors such as microclimate to determine when populations of non-natives can persist.
Recommended citation: Zhang, V.M., Kotanen, P.M. (2026). "Nutrient addition increases non-native plant growth but not survival in a subarctic treeline environment." Biological Invasions 28(173).