%ACook‐Patton, Susan [AAAS Science &, Technology Policy Fellow 201 14th Street, SW Washington DC 20227 USA]%ACook-Patton, Susan [AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow; 201 14th Street, SW Washington DC 20227 USA]%AHastings, Amy [Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Cornell University; Ithaca NY 14853 USA]%AHastings, Amy [Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca NY 14853 USA]%AAgrawal, Anurag [Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Cornell University Ithaca NY 14853 USA, Department of Entomology Cornell University Ithaca NY 14853 USA]%AAgrawal, Anurag [Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Cornell University; Ithaca NY 14853 USA; Department of Entomology; Cornell University; Ithaca NY 14853 USA]%ASemchenko, ed., Marina%ASemchenko, ed., Marina%BJournal Name: Journal of Ecology; Journal Volume: 105; Journal Issue: 3; Related Information: CHORUS Timestamp: 2023-09-11 16:52:29
%D2017%IWiley-Blackwell
%JJournal Name: Journal of Ecology; Journal Volume: 105; Journal Issue: 3; Related Information: CHORUS Timestamp: 2023-09-11 16:52:29
%K
%MOSTI ID: 10026961
%PMedium: X
%TGenotypic diversity mitigates negative effects of density on plant performance: a field experiment and life cycle analysis of common evening primrose
Genotypic diversity in plant populations is known to enhance plant performance and ecosystem function. Nonetheless, the effect of genotypic diversity has rarely been examined across a population's lifecycle despite the expectation that changing conditions, such as population density, will alter the benefits of diversity. We simultaneously manipulated a component of genotypic diversity (richness, the number of genotypes) and density of common evening primrose We found a strong interaction between seed density and genetic diversity, with germination and establishment being 24% higher in genetic polycultures than monocultures, but only at low seed density. At high seed density, the opposite pattern emerged, with polycultures having 12% fewer individuals established than monocultures. Initial effects of emergence on plot density persisted through to the fruiting stage. Higher plant densities resulted in increased mortality, decreased probability of reproduction, decreased plant height and lower levels of lifetime fruit production per plant. Increasing genotypic diversity increased the probability of reproduction overall and showed a significant interaction with plant density mitigating the negative effects of high density on individual height and lifetime fruit production.