Evolutionary effects of nitrogen are not easily predicted from ecological responses.

ABSTRACT:

Premise

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) addition alters the abiotic and biotic environment, potentially leading to changes in patterns of natural selection (i.e., trait-fitness relationships) and the opportunity for selection (i.e., variance in relative fitness). Because N addition favors species with light acquisition strategies (e.g., tall species), we predicted that N would strengthen selection favoring those same traits. We also predicted that N could alter the opportunity for selection via its effects on mean fitness and/or competitive asymmetries.

Methods

We quantified the strength of selection and the opportunity for selection in replicated populations of the annual grass Setaria faberi (giant foxtail) growing in a long-term N addition experiment. We also correlated these

SUBMITTER: Waterton J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10099611 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature