Data from: Artificial nighttime lighting and herbivory interactively reduce the biomass production of invasive plants while enhancing that of native plants
Data files
May 03, 2025 version files 57.32 KB
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ALAN_data.xlsx
41.42 KB
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README.md
2.66 KB
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relative_growth_rate_data.xlsx
13.24 KB
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) can influence plant growth, defence, interactions with herbivores, and invasion by exotic plants. However, studies assessing the interactive effects of ALAN, nutrient enrichment, and herbivory on invasive and native plant species remain limited. We conducted a greenhouse experiment to investigate the interactive effects of ALAN (No-ALAN vs. ALAN), nutrient enrichment (low vs. high), and herbivory by a generalist Spodoptera litura (without vs. with) on the growth, root allocation, and defence of six congeneric pairs of invasive and native plant species. Nutrient enrichment increased total biomass more in native plants than in invasive plants. ALAN enhanced total biomass in both groups of plants without herbivory, but increased native plant biomass and decreased that of invasive plants under herbivory. ALAN reduced root mass fraction, especially under low-nutrient conditions without herbivory. Native plants exhibited greater tolerance to herbivory and higher net photosynthetic rates under ALAN compared to invasive species. Moreover, S. litura larvae grew faster on invasive plants but slower on native plants under ALAN. These findings suggest that ALAN may weaken the competitive advantage of invasive species by enhancing the defense mechanisms and physiological performance of native plants, potentially shifting competitive dynamics in favor of native flora.
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1rn8pk143
1. Title of Dataset:
Data for paper titled " Artificial nighttime lighting and herbivory interactively reduce the biomass production of invasive plants while enhancing that of native plants"
2. Description of Data files
All missing data are represented as NA.
The abbreviation and description for the variables of ALAN_data.xlsx:
- ID: ID of pots
- species: Latin name of the test plant
- genus: Genus name of the test plant
- family: Family name of the test plant
- Status: species invasive status (invasive vs. native)
- ALAN: Artificial light at night treatments (No-ALAN vs. ALAN)
- Nutrient: Nutrient treatments (Low-nutrient vs. High-nutrient)
- Herbivory: Herbivory treatments (with herbivory [Herb+] vs. without herbivory [Herb-])
- Compartment: Greenhouse compartments
- Initial_height: Initial height of species(unit: cm)
- Initial_height_ratio: Initial height ratio. Initial height ratio was calculated by dividing the initial plant height in the herbivory treatment by the mean initial height of the corresponding control plants without herbivory exposure.
- Total_biomass: Total biomass(unit: g)
- RMF: Root mass fraction. RMF calculated by dividing dry root biomass by total dry biomass
- Photo: Net photosynthetic rate at night(unit: μmol CO₂·m⁻²·s⁻¹)
- Tolerance: Tolerance score. Tolerance score was calculated by dividing the total biomass of plants in the herbivory treatment by the mean total biomass of the corresponding control plants without herbivory.
The description for relative_growth_rate_data. xlsx:
- ID: ID of pots
- ALAN: Artificial light at night treatments (No-ALAN vs. ALAN)
- Nutrient: Nutrient treatments (Low-nutrient vs. High-nutrient)
- species: Latin name of the test plant
- genus: Genus name of the test plant
- family: Family name of the test plant
- Status: species invasive status (invasive vs. native)
- Sub_compartment: sub-greenhouse compartments
- Initial_insect_weight: The initial weight of larvae(unit: g)
- final_Insect_weigh: The final weight of larvae(unit: g)
- ∆weight_insect: The difference between the final weight and initial weight of larvae(unit: g)
- rgc: The relative growth rate of larvae(unit: g/hour)
Code/Software
This R code.txt processes ecological data and fits linear mixed-effects models to assess treatment effects on plant traits like biomass, RMF, photosynthesis, and tolerance.