Evolution of competitive ability and the response to nutrient availability: A resurrection study with the calcareous grassland herb, Leontodon hispidus

Rapid environmental changes across Europe include warmer and increasingly variable temperatures, changes in soil nutrient availability, and pollinator decline. These abiotic and biotic changes can affect natural plant populations and force them to optimize resource use against competitors. To date, the evolution of competitive ability in the context of changes in nutrient availability remains understudied. In this study, we investigated whether the common calcareous grassland herb Leontodon hispidus recently evolved its competitive ability and response to nutrient availability. We compared ancestors sampled in 1995 and descendants sampled in 2018 and applied a competition treatment in combination with weekly nutrient treatments (no fertilizer, nitrogen, phosphorus, and both). We found evidence for evolution of increased competitive ability, with descendants producing more vegetative biomass than ancestors when grown under competition. The competitive ability also depended on the nutrien..., , , # Data from: Evolution of competitive ability and the response to nutrient availability: A resurrection study with the calcareous grassland herb, Leontodon hispidus

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.hdr7sqvtn](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.hdr7sqvtn)

## Description of the data and file structure

This is the raw data of a greenhouse experiment performed within the framework of the resurrection approach. We investigated whether the common calcareous grassland herb Leontodon hispidus recently evolved its competitive ability and response to nutrient availability. We compared ancestors sampled in 1995 and descendants sampled in 2018 in a greenhouse environment and applied a competition treatment (Brachypodium pinnatum) in combination with weekly nutrient treatments (no fertilizer, nitrogen, phosphorus, and both).

### Files and variables

#### File: Data\_Karitter\_2025.xlsx

**Description:** All the measurements taken for the experiment on the seedlings of Leontodon hispidus. Missing value...