DOI: 10.5061/dryad.62275
title: Data from: Rapid transgenerational effects in Knautia arvensis in response to plant-community diversity

description: 1. Plant-species persistence in natural communities requires coping with
 biotic and abiotic challenges. These challenges also depend on
 plant-community composition and diversity. Over time, biodiversity effects
 have been shown to be strengthened via increasing species complementarity
 in mixtures. Little is known, however, whether differences in community
 diversity and composition induce rapid transgenerational phenotypic
 adaptive differentiation during community assembly. We expect, altered
 plant-plant and other biotic interactions (mutualists or antagonists) in
 high vs. low diverse communities to affect immediate within- and between
 species-trait differentiations due to competition for light and nutrients.
 2. Three years after the initiation of a large-scale, long-term
 biodiversity experiment in Jena, Germany, we tested for effects of varying
 experimental plant-community diversity (1–60 plant species; 1–4 plant
 functional groups) and composition (with or without legumes and/or
 grasses) on phenotypic differentiation and variation of the tall herb
 Knautia arvensis. We measured reproduction at different diversity levels
 in the Jena experiment (residents hereafter) and, in an additional common
 garden experiment without competition, recorded subsequent offspring
 performance (i.e., growth, reproductive success and susceptibility to
 powdery mildew) to test for differentiation in phenotypic expression and
 variability. 3. We observed phenotypic differences among diversity levels
 with reduced fecundity of K. arvensis residents in more diverse
 communities. In the next generation grown under common garden conditions,
 offspring from high diversity plots showed reduced growth (i.e., height)
 and lower reproduction (i.e., fewer infructescences), but increased
 phenotypic trait variability (e.g., in leaf width and powdery mildew
 presence) and also tended to be less susceptible to powdery mildew
 infection. 4. Community composition also affected Knautia parents and
 offspring. In the presence of legumes resident plants produced more seeds
 (increased fecundity), however germination rate of those seeds was reduced
 at an early seedling stage (reduced fertility). 5. Synthesis: We conclude
 that rapid transgenerational effects of community diversity and
 composition on both mean and variation of phenotypic traits among
 offspring exist. Additional to heritable variation, environmentally
 induced epigenetic and/ or maternal processes matter for early plant
 community assembly and may also determine future species co-existence and
 community stability.
description: Reproductive traits of
 resident mother plantsData underlying tables
 and figures in the main manuscript and supporting information comprising
 explanatory variables from the Jena experimental setup and reproductive
 trait variables of resident K. arvensis mother plants (i.e., number of
 viable seeds, number of aborted seeds and total number of seeds per seed
 capsule per mother, mean seed mass (g) and final germination rate
 (%)).Mother_Main.xlsxPerformance traits of offspring under common garden conditionsData underlying tables and figures in the main manuscript and supporting information comprising explanatory variables from the Jena experimental setup and K. arvensis offspring growth and reproduction traits in the common garden experiment (i.e., biomass (g), maximum plant height (cm), both leaf length and width (cm), as well as the total number of buds, capitula and infructescences; as well as naturally occurring powdery mildew presence and severity(%)).Offspring_Main.xlsxGermination experimentData underlying supporting information S2, comprising explanatory variables from the Jena experimental setup and germination rate (%) of K. arvensis for all six sampling times of the germination experiment.GerminationSurvey_SuppInfo.xlsx