Species-specific root-shoot ratios in a diverse grassland community
Data files
Nov 26, 2024 version files 707.08 KB
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field_Achillea_root_biomass_2018.txt
41.29 KB
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field_Achillea_root_biomass_2019.txt
17.95 KB
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field_Agrostis_root_biomass_2018.txt
45.13 KB
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field_Agrostis_root_biomass_2019.txt
25.29 KB
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field_Anthoxanthum_root_biomass_2018.txt
41.39 KB
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field_Anthoxanthum_root_biomass_2019.txt
27.20 KB
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field_Festuca_root_biomass_2018.txt
45.78 KB
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field_Festuca_root_biomass_2019.txt
28.19 KB
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field_Lathyrus_root_biomass_2018.txt
45.13 KB
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field_Lathyrus_root_biomass_2019.txt
28.60 KB
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field_Leontodon_root_biomass_2018.txt
45.36 KB
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field_Leontodon_root_biomass_2019.txt
28.07 KB
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field_Luzula_root_biomass_2018.txt
36.44 KB
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field_Luzula_root_biomass_2019.txt
20.45 KB
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field_Nardus_root_biomass_2018.txt
16.47 KB
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field_Nardus_root_biomass_2019.txt
10.50 KB
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field_Rannunculus_root_biomass_2019.txt
18.79 KB
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field_Ranunculus_root_biomass_2018.txt
32.48 KB
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field_Trifolium_pratense_root_biomass_2018.txt
37.04 KB
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field_Trifolium_pratense_root_biomass_2019.txt
19.76 KB
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field_Trifolium_repens_root_biomass_2018.txt
22.67 KB
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field_Trifolium_repens_root_biomass_2019.txt
21.06 KB
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pot_experiment_data.csv
13.30 KB
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README.md
38.74 KB
Abstract
Existing studies of root/shoot ratios (R/S) in the field show large differences among environments, from high values in unproductive environments to low values in productive environments. However, virtually all such studies are community-wide, i.e. compare biomasses of roots and shoots summed over all coexisting species. Therefore we do not know to what extent this is due to innate interspecific differences in the R/S ratios or to plastic response to nutrient limitations. This is due to methodological difficulties in assigning roots into species, which preclude the contribution of species-specific differences to the community-wide R/S ratio.
These limitations can be overcome by DNA analyses. We used qPCR to determine species-specific R/S ratios in a montane grassland and compared these values to R/S ratios from a two-season long single-species pot experiment. To translate the qPCR data to root biomass units, we extracted DNA from the experimental plants to perform calibration for each species and to take into account potential change during the ontogeny of root systems. We used these calibration relationships to recalculate gene copies estimated in a set of field samples to species-specific root biomass values.
All species except one showed fairly high correlation between aboveground biomass (determined by weighing) and belowground biomass (determined by qPCR) across all studied plots in the field. Root/shoot ratios determined from the field were for most species slightly lower compared to the aggregate values of the whole community determined by weighing both roots and aboveground biomass. They showed significant correlation with the R/S ratios from the pot experiment, indicating innate differences among species that persist across two very different sets of conditions (multispecies community in the field, single species culture in pots).
The field R/S ratios based on qPCR root estimation are informative on the true field patterns. This is supported by their correlation with the pot-derived values. While the values seem to be slightly underestimated, they are well in the reasonable range of values. This opens a new field of study, namely examination how R/Sratios in the field respond to changed nutrient availability and diversity and species composition of neighbouring species.
README: Species-specific root-shoot ratios in a diverse grassland community
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.p5hqbzkzh
Description of the data and file structure
Root biomass estimates for 11 grassland species using qPCR in field and pot experiments.
Files and variables
File: field_Achillea_root_biomass_2018.txt
Description: root biomass of *Achillea millefolium *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2018. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Achillea_root_biomass_2019.txt
Description: root biomass of *Achillea millefolium *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2019. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the flourescence crossed the treshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Agrostis_root_biomass_2019.txt
Description: root biomass of *Agrostis capillaris *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2019. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the flourescence crossed the treshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Agrostis_root_biomass_2018.txt
**Description: **root biomass of *Agrostis capillaris *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2018. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Anthoxanthum_root_biomass_2018.txt
Description: root biomass of *Anthoxanthum odoratum *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2018. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study v
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study v
File: field_Festuca_root_biomass_2019.txt
Description: root biomass of *Festuca rubra *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2019. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Anthoxanthum_root_biomass_2019.txt
Description: root biomass of *Anthoxanthum odoratum *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2019. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Festuca_root_biomass_2018.txt
Description: root biomass of *Festuca rubra *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2018. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the florescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Lathyrus_root_biomass_2018.txt
Description: root biomass of *Lathyrus pratensis *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2018. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Lathyrus_root_biomass_2019.txt
Description: root biomass of *Lathyrus pratensis *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2019. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Leontodon_root_biomass_2019.txt
Description: root biomass of *Leontodon hispidus *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2019. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Leontodon_root_biomass_2018.txt
Description: root biomass of *Leontodon hispidus *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2018. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Luzula_root_biomass_2019.txt
Description: root biomass of *Luzula multiflora *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2019. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Nardus_root_biomass_2018.txt
Description: root biomass of *Nardus stricta *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2018. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
File: field_Luzula_root_biomass_2018.txt
Description: root biomass of *Luzula multiflora *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2018. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (mg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Nardus_root_biomass_2019.txt
Description: root biomass of *Nardus stricta *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2019. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
File: field_Rannunculus_root_biomass_2019.txt
Description: root biomass of *Ranunculus acris *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2019. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Ranunculus_root_biomass_2018.txt
Description: root biomass of *Ranunculus acris *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2018. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Trifolium_pratense_root_biomass_2018.txt
Description: root biomass of *Trifolium pratense *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2018. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Trifolium_repens_root_biomass_2018.txt
Description: root biomass of *Trifolium repens *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2018. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Trifolium_pratense_root_biomass_2019.txt
Description: root biomass of *Trifolium pratense *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2019. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: field_Trifolium_repens_root_biomass_2019.txt
Description: root biomass of *Trifolium repens *estimated by qPCR in at field site in 2019. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: refers to the soil cube used for DNA extraction
- Meann Cp: qPCR raw data indicating in which PCR cycle the fluorescence crossed the threshold level
- Target gene mean conc. pg: estimate of target gene copy number (pg)
- OLD_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the calibration coefficient from Herben et al (2018) (mg)
- NEWMEAN_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the mean value estimated for the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_S_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the first harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H1_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the second harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H2_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the third harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H3_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fourth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
- NEW_H4_Target species root biomass (mg): target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit using the value estimated for the fifth harvest of the pot experiment performed in this study (mg)
File: pot_experiment_data.csv
Description: Calibration experiment - copy numbers of target genes per root biomass unit estimated for each species. Missing data are indicated by NA.
Variables
- Samples: sample names used for the individual plants in the pot experiment. Each name is a unique identifier.
- Species: species code
agro - Agrostis capillaris
achi - Achillea millefolium
anth - Anthoxanthum odoratum
fest - Festuca rubra
lath - Lathyrus pratensis
leon - Leonthodon hispidus
luzu - Luzula multiflora
ranu - Rannunculus acris
tpra - Trifolium pratense
trep - Trifolium repens
* Harvest: indicates the length of the cultivation of the particular sample. After this period the samples were harvested and the biomass was analyzed
1 - seedlings,beginning of cultivation
2- after 6 weeks of cultivation
3 - after 5 months of cultivation
4 - after 10 months of cultivation
5 - after 15 months of cultivation
* DNA_extract: concentration of the extracted DNA (ng/ul)
* target_gene_1ng_DNA: copy number of the traget gene in 1ng of DNA extract (pg)
* target_gene_1mg_root: target gene copy number re-calculated to root biomass unit (pg)
* shoot_fresh: fresh weight of the shoot biomass (g)
* shoot_dry: dry weight of the root biomass (g)
* root_biomass_total: root biomass weight (g)
Code/software
Text editor or spreadsheet editor. Any.
Methods
Quantitative real-time PCR with species-specific primers was used to quantify the root biomass of 11 plant species in temperate mountain grasslands under field conditions. Aboveground plant biomass was estimated by weight. A pot experiment was set up to allow the conversion of target gene copy numbers into plant biomass units in the focal species and to facilitate the determination of the root-shoot ratio of individual species under field conditions.