Plant interaction modifies effects of soil heterogeneity on seed germination, plant growth, and biomass of plant communities.

ABSTRACT: Soil heterogeneity significantly impacts the structure and function of plant communities. However, most of the previous studies only focussed on the effects of soil heterogeneity on plant populations, while the joint effects of plant interaction and soil heterogeneity on plant communities remain unclear. Thus, a manipulation experiment was done to explore the effects of soil heterogeneity and species combination on the seed germination, plant height and plant biomass, where three soil heterogeneity levels were created by varying patch sizes (small, medium, and large), and 10 species combinations were generated by growing four typical forages on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (Elymus nutans, Festuca sinensis, Poa pratensis, and Vicia unijuga) either in monocultures

SUBMITTER: Li H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11966607 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature