Plant neighbors differentially alter a focal species’ biotic interactions through changes to resource allocation

Plant resource allocation strategies are thought to be largely a consequence of changing abiotic conditions and evolutionary history. However, biotic interactions also influence how a plant allocates resources. As a result, plants mediate indirect interactions between organisms above- and belowground through resource allocation. Neighboring plants can influence plant fitness directly through competition for resources, and indirectly by altering associated community interactions (associational effects). Given the importance of community interactions for plant success, and the known ability for plant neighbors to change these interactions, the goal of this “pandemic project” was to separate inter- and intraspecific plant associations, above- and belowground, to understand how different plant neighbors alter plant resource allocation, and if this in turn alters biotic interactions. We specifically investigated associational effects on herbivory and soil microbial community interactions. To..., , , # Plant neighbors differentially alter a focal species’ biotic interactions through changes to resource allocation

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.0gb5mkm8z](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.0gb5mkm8z)

This study looks at a focal plants response to two different plant neighbors, and whether plant neighbors alter a focal plants allocation and biotic interactions through above or belowground mechanisms.

## Description of the data and file structure

Data provided includes a metadata sheet and two data sheets.

The metadata provides descriptions of each column of data in the data sheets.

Sheet 1 contains plant allocation and trait data for a focal plant (S. altissima), in response to growth in two pot types, based on plant neighbor. Neighbor biomass and rgr are also included. All data are at a pot level (i.e., species mean trait response per pot), whereby each row is a different pot. Also included are S. altissima herbivory rates and belowground soil microbial diverisity associated with th...