Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Belowground Interactions Shift The Relative Importance Of Direct And Indirect Genetic Effects, M A. Genung, J K. Bailey, J A. Schweitzer

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Intraspecific genetic variation can affect decomposition, nutrient cycling, and interactions between plants and their associated belowground communities. However, the effects of genetic variation on ecosystems can also be indirect, meaning that genes in a focal plant may affect ecosystems by altering the phenotype of interacting (i.e., neighboring) individuals. We manipulated genotype identity, species identity, and the possibility of belowground interactions between neighboring Solidago plants. We hypothesized that, because our plants were nitrogen (N) limited, the most important interactions between focal and neighbor plants would occur belowground. More specifically, we hypothesized that the genotypic identity of a plant's neighbor would have …

Sharing And Re-Use Of Phylogenetic Trees (And Associated Data) To Facilitate Synthesis, Arlin Stoltzfus, Brian C. O'Meara, Jamie Whitacre, Ross Mounce, Emily L. Gillespie, Sudhir Kumar, Dan F. Rosauer, Rutger A. Vos

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Background

Recently, various evolution-related journals adopted policies to encourage or require archiving of phylogenetic trees and associated data. Such attention to practices that promote sharing of data reflects rapidly improving information technology, and rapidly expanding potential to use this technology to aggregate and link data from previously published research. Nevertheless, little is known about current practices, or best practices, for publishing trees and associated data so as to promote re-use.

Findings

Here we summarize results of an ongoing analysis of current practices for archiving phylogenetic trees and associated data, current practices of re-use, and current barriers to re-use. We find …