Plant diversity influences plant volatile emission with varying effects at the species and community levels.

ABSTRACT: Studies have investigated the interactions between plants through competition and resource sharing to understand the mechanisms behind the positive effects of plant diversity on productivity. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important info-chemicals in plant-plant interactions, but they have so far rarely been considered in this context. Here, we measured VOC emissions at the community scale and for one species (Plantago lanceolata) in experimental plant communities of varying diversity (The Jena Experiment) to understand the role of VOCs in driving biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships. We show that plant diversity determines the release of plant VOCs at both scales. At the community level, plant species richness directly enhanced VOC emission and increased VOC rich

SUBMITTER: Medina-van Berkum P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12818445 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature