Secondary metabolites have more influence than morphophysiological traits on litter decomposability across genotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana

What is it about?

We test for the first time a central tenet of plant ecology, the impact of intraspecific variability to a main ecosystem process, litter decomposability. We used 211 ecotypes of Arabidospis thaliana and we find that there was large genetic variability in litter decomposition as well as in the morpho-physiological leaf traits. Morpho-physiological leaf trait and especially specific leaf area, only had a minor effect on decomposition, while metabolites and especially glucosinolates had a major effect. Among metabolites, the most significant negative relationship was found for the first time between glucosinolates and decomposition

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