Table 4 |
||||
| Leaf C, N and C:N ratios in response to earthworms (−Ew…no earthworms, +Ew…earthworm addition) and plant community composition (low diversity…3 spp.; high diversity…12 spp.) | ||||
| Parameter/ | Low plant diversity | High plant diversity | ||
| Funct. group | -Ew | +Ew | -Ew | +Ew |
| Ctot | ||||
| A. elatius | 41.6 ± 0.3a | 40.5 ± 0.4a | 40.8 ± 0.5a | 39.7 ± 1.0a |
| P. vulgaris | 38.4 ± 1.0a | 38.5 ± 0.5a | 38.6 ± 0.1a | 38.5 ± 0.8a |
| T. pratense | 40.9 ± 0.3a | 40.9 ± 0.3a | 40.6 ± 0.3a | 41.3 ± 0.4a |
| Ntot | ||||
| A. elatius | 2.9 ± 0.2b | 3.5 ± 0.3a | 2.8 ± 0.2b | 3.4 ± 0.3a |
| P. vulgaris | 2.7 ± 0.1b | 3.1 ± 0.1a | 2.9 ± 0.1b | 3.4 ± 0.3a |
| T. pratense | 3.0 ± 0.1ab | 3.1 ± 0.2ab | 2.8 ± 0.1c | 3.3 ± 0.1a |
| C:N ratio | ||||
| A. elatius | 15.9 ± 1.5a | 12.3 ± 1.1b | 15.3 ± 1.2a | 12.7 ± 1.3b |
| P. vulgaris | 14.3 ± 0.7a | 12.8 ± 0.5b | 13.9 ± 0.6a | 11.5 ± 1.2b |
| T. pratense | 13.9 ± 0.5a | 13.5 ± 0.4a | 14.7 ± 0.6a | 12.7 ± 0.5b |
Different letters after values refer to significant differences within a species (Tukey-Tests, p < 0.05). Means ± SE, n = 6.
Zaller et al.
Zaller et al. BMC Ecology 2013 13:20 doi:10.1186/1472-6785-13-20
