INFLUENCE OF INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES ON SOIL PROPERTIESIN TROPICAL RIPARIAN ZONESANULA SUSAN VARUGHESE AND SABU JOSEPHAbstract Riparian zones are highly productive biodiversity-rich transition areas. However, the invasion ofexotic plant species depletes diversity and productivity, a severe global environmental concern asthey alter ecosystem services. The analysis of spatio-temporal variations of soil nutrients in aninvasive plant-impacted riparian zone is significant. This study was conducted in the riparianzones of a tropical river basin, Vamanapuram river basin (VRB), Southern Western Ghats, India,to analyse soil samples (total n= 60) from invaded (VR) and uninvaded (Control) areas for pH,Electrical Conductivity (EC), Organic Carbon (OC), available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus(AP), and available potassium (AK). In general, comparing the invaded and control sites, changeswere noticed in almost all the above physico-chemical parameters (except OC) at a significant levelwith high values in invaded soil sites mainly due to invasion. However, more studies are neededto differentiate the impacts within the system for a better understanding of invasive plant-soilinteractions |