Plant species richness promotes the decoupling of leaf and root defence traits while species-specific responses in physical and chemical defences are rare

ABSTRACT:

The increased positive impact of plant diversity on ecosystem functioning over time is often attributed to the gradual accumulation of mutualists and dilution of antagonists in diverse plant communities. While increased plant diversity alters traits related to resource acquisition, it remains unclear whether it reduces defence allocation, whether this reduction differs between roots and leaves, or varies among species.

To answer these questions, we assessed the effect of plant species richness, plant species identity and their interaction on the expression of twenty-three physical and chemical leaf and fine root defence traits of sixteen plant species in a nineteen-year-old biodiversity experiment.

Only leaf mass per area, leaf and root dry matter content, and root nitrogen, traits related to both, resource acquisition and physical defence, responded consistently to species richness. However, species richness promoted a decoupling of these physical defences in leaves and fine roots, possibly in response to resource limitations in diverse communities. Changes in traits related to chemical defence and mutualist collaboration, however, varied among species, possibly in response to species-specific antagonists’ dilution.

Overall, our study suggests that resource limitation in diverse communities mediates the relationship between plant defence traits and antagonist dilution.

INSTRUMENT(S): Liquid Chromatography MS - positive - reverse phase

PROVIDER: MTBLS8464 | MetaboLights | 2025-02-13

REPOSITORIES: MetaboLights