From genes to ecosystems: a synthesis of the effects of plant genetic factors across levels of organization.

ABSTRACT: Using two genetic approaches and seven different plant systems, we present findings from a meta-analysis examining the strength of the effects of plant genetic introgression and genotypic diversity across individual, community and ecosystem levels with the goal of synthesizing the patterns to date. We found that (i) the strength of plant genetic effects can be quite high; however, the overall strength of genetic effects on most response variables declined as the levels of organization increased. (ii) Plant genetic effects varied such that introgression had a greater impact on individual phenotypes than extended effects on arthropods or microbes/fungi. By contrast, the greatest effects of genotypic diversity were on arthropods. (iii) Plant genetic effects were greater on above-ground versus

SUBMITTER: Bailey JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2690499 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature