Summary of mixed-effects model analyses of proportional leaf damage, specific leaf area and leaf nitrogen concentration.

Models were fitted by stepwise inclusion of terms. Listed are the results of likelihood ratio tests that were applied to assess model improvement ( = L ratio) and the statistical significance of the explanatory terms ( = p values). Note that contrasts for the presence/absence of legumes and grasses were entered separately in a series of analyses. Arrows indicate a significant increase (↑) or decrease (↓) of variables in relation to the experimental factors of the biodiversity experiment, R (reproductive shoots) and V (vegetative shoots) indicate higher values dependent on life stage, and O (older leaf cohort) and Y (younger leaf cohort) indicate higher values dependent on leaf age.