Evolution of monoculture and mixture types in a grassland biodiversity experiment Sofia van Moorsel*, Debra Zuppinger-Dingley, Terhi Hahl and Bernhard Schmid University of Zurich, Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies IMPLICATIONS Different selection pressures on plants occurring within monocultures or mixtures may result in selection for monoculture and mixture genotypes respectively within such communities. Mixture types performed better in species mixtures due to an increase in complementarity effects via selection for trait divergence between species in mixtures (data not shown). BACKGROUND Ecosystem functioning generally increases with increasing biodiversity. Communities with high species diversity are more productive than such with lower diversity. This positive effect of biodiversity generally increases over time. Recent studies have shown grassland plants surviv- ing for eight years in mixed species communities have been selected for better performance in mixed communities (mixture types) in contrast to plants selected in monocultures (monoculture types), and vice versa (Figure 1). Additionally, mixture types demonstrated stronger biodiversity effects than monoculture types. OPEN QUESTIONS What makes monocultures plants perform better in monocultures? Have they been selected for better defenses against pathogens? Acknowledgments SNF grant for funding, Tobi Vogler, eres Zwimpfer, Daniel Trujillo *Corresponding author: Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, sofi[email protected] FUTURE EXPERIMENTS I will set up a series of experiments to test for: selection for increased combining ability in mixtures, the ability for increased complementarity between species of mixture types in contrast to monoculture types, and genotypic differences between monoculture and mixture types. Figure 1. (A) Plants selected over 8 years in mixtures pro- duced greater biomass in new test mixtures in contrast to plants selected in monocultures, as indicated by the dif- ference in slopes. Such an increase in productivity for mixture types planted in test mixtures appeared to be a gen- eral trend for both (B) cuttings and (C) seedlings and functional group combinations. e plots are ordered to functional group combinations: grasses (g), short herbs (sh), tall herbs (th), legumes (l). A B C

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Page 1: Evolution of monoculture and mixture types in a grassland ...6ee049a7-79e5-48c2-9114... · monoculture and mixture genotypes respectively within such communi-ties. Mixture types performed

Evolution of monoculture and mixture types in a grassland biodiversity experiment

Sofi a van Moorsel*, Debra Zuppinger-Dingley, Terhi Hahl and Bernhard Schmid

University of Zurich, Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies

IMPLICATIONSDi� erent selection pressures on plants occurring within monocultures or mixtures may result in selection for

monoculture and mixture genotypes respectively within such communi-ties. Mixture types performed better in species mixtures due to an increase

in complementarity effects via selection for trait divergence between species in mixtures (data not shown).

BACKGROUND

Ecosystem functioninggenerally increases withincreasingbiodiversity.

Communities with high species diversity are more productive than such with lower di-versity. This positive effect of biodiversity

generally increases over time. Recent stud-ies have shown grassland plants surviv-ing for eight years in mixed species communities have been selected for

better performance in mixed communities (mixture types) in contrast to plants selected in monocultures (monoculture types), and vice versa (Figure 1). Additionally, mixture

types demonstrated stronger biodiversity

effects than mono-

culture types.

OPEN QUESTIONS

What makes monocultures plants perform better in monocultures?

Have they been selected for better defenses against pathogens?

Acknowledgments SNF grant for funding, Tobi Vogler, � eres Zwimpfer, Daniel Trujillo

*Corresponding author: Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, so� [email protected]

FUTURE EXPERIMENTS

I will set up a series of experimentsto test for:

selection for increased combining ability in mixtures, the ability for increased complemen-tarity between species of mixture types in contrast to monoculture types, and

genotypic differences between monoculture and mixture types.

Figure 1. (A) Plants selected over 8 years in mixtures pro-duced greater biomass in new test mixtures in contrast to plants selected in monocul-tures, as indicated by the dif-ference in slopes. Such an increase in productivity for

mixture types planted in test

mixtures appeared to be a gen-eral trend for both (B) cuttings and (C) seedlings and func-tional group combinations. � e plots are ordered to functional group combinations: grasses (g), short herbs (sh), tall herbs (th), legumes (l).

A B C

Sofi a van Moorsel*, Debra Zuppinger-Dingley, Terhi Hahl and Bernhard SchmidSofi a van Moorsel*, Debra Zuppinger-Dingley, Terhi Hahl and Bernhard Schmid

generally increases with

biodiversity.

FUTURE EXPERIMENTS

I will set up a series of experiments

in mixtures, the ability for increased complemen-

FUTURE EXPERIMENTS

I will set up a series of experiments

in mixtures, the ability for increased complemen-

species mixtures due to an in complementarity effects

species mixtures due to an species mixtures due to an in complementarity effects

OPEN QUESTIONSOPEN QUESTIONS

*Corresponding author: Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, so� [email protected]