Discussion
Our results show that invasive plant species can cause significant
shifts in the taxonomic composition and relative abundance of microbial
communities across multiple sites along the altitudinal gradient. Also,
the plant invasions can induce shifts in soil nutrient pools in the
invaded plots and these shifts vary among the sites along the
altitudinal gradient. Therefore, the present study provides new insights
in elucidating the patterns of plant invasion-induced responses in soil
microbial communities that operate underground along altitudinal
gradient in mountainous landscapes.