TY - JOUR

T1 - Genome size influences plant growth and biodiversity responses to nutrient fertilization in diverse grassland communities

AU - Morton, Joseph A.

AU - Arnillas, Carlos Alberto

AU - Biedermann, Lori

AU - Borer, Elizabeth T.

AU - Brudvig, Lars A.

AU - Buckley, Yvonne M.

AU - Cadotte, Marc W.

AU - Davies, Kendi

AU - Donohue, Ian

AU - Ebeling, Anne

AU - Eisenhauer, Nico

AU - Estrada, Catalina

AU - Haider, Sylvia

AU - Hautier, Yann

AU - Jentsch, Anke

AU - Martinson, Holly

AU - McCulley, Rebecca L.

AU - Raynaud, Xavier

AU - Roscher, Christiane

AU - Seabloom, Eric W.

AU - Stevens, Carly J.

AU - Vesela, Katerina

AU - Wallace, Alison

AU - Leitch, Ilia J.

AU - Leitch, Andrew R.

AU - Hersch-Green, Erika I.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: Copyright: © 2024 Morton et al.

PY - 2024/12

Y1 - 2024/12

N2 - Experiments comparing diploids with polyploids and in single grassland sites show that nitrogen and/or phosphorus availability influences plant growth and community composition dependent on genome size; specifically, plants with larger genomes grow faster under nutrient enrichments relative to those with smaller genomes. However, it is unknown if these effects are specific to particular site localities with speciifc plant assemblages, climates, and historical contingencies. To determine the generality of genome size-dependent growth responses to nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization, we combined genome size and species abundance data from 27 coordinated grassland nutrient addition experiments in the Nutrient Network that occur in the Northern Hemisphere across a range of climates and grassland communities. We found that after nitrogen treatment, species with larger genomes generally increased more in cover compared to those with smaller genomes, potentially due to a release from nutrient limitation. Responses were strongest for C3 grasses and in less seasonal, low precipitation environments, indicating that genome size effects on water-use-efficiency modulates genome size–nutrient interactions. Cumulatively, the data suggest that genome size is informative and improves predictions of species’ success in grassland communities.

AB - Experiments comparing diploids with polyploids and in single grassland sites show that nitrogen and/or phosphorus availability influences plant growth and community composition dependent on genome size; specifically, plants with larger genomes grow faster under nutrient enrichments relative to those with smaller genomes. However, it is unknown if these effects are specific to particular site localities with speciifc plant assemblages, climates, and historical contingencies. To determine the generality of genome size-dependent growth responses to nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization, we combined genome size and species abundance data from 27 coordinated grassland nutrient addition experiments in the Nutrient Network that occur in the Northern Hemisphere across a range of climates and grassland communities. We found that after nitrogen treatment, species with larger genomes generally increased more in cover compared to those with smaller genomes, potentially due to a release from nutrient limitation. Responses were strongest for C3 grasses and in less seasonal, low precipitation environments, indicating that genome size effects on water-use-efficiency modulates genome size–nutrient interactions. Cumulatively, the data suggest that genome size is informative and improves predictions of species’ success in grassland communities.

KW - Biology

KW - Ecosystems Research

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85211988336&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002927

DO - 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002927

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 39661599

AN - SCOPUS:85211988336

VL - 22

JO - PLoS Biology

JF - PLoS Biology

SN - 1544-9173

IS - 12

M1 - e3002927

ER -