Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25331082›Full record

ArticleBMC ecology2014

Plant genetic variation mediates an indirect ecological effect between belowground earthworms and aboveground aphids.

Akanksha Singh, Julia Braun, Emilia Decker, Sarah Hans, Agnes Wagner, Wolfgang W Weisser, Sharon E Zytynska

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC ecology, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 17% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Akanksha SinghTerrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Centre for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising, 85354, Germany. ga46jim@mytum.de.
Julia BraunTerrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Centre for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising, 85354, Germany. julia.amy@web.de.
Emilia DeckerTerrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Centre for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising, 85354, Germany. emilia.decker@mytum.de.
Sarah HansTerrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Centre for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising, 85354, Germany. sarahhans@gmx.net.
Agnes WagnerTerrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Centre for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising, 85354, Germany. sieb10a@aol.com.
Wolfgang W WeisserTerrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Centre for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising, 85354, Germany. wolfgang.weisser@tum.de.
Sharon E ZytynskaTerrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Centre for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising, 85354, Germany. sharon.zytynska@tum.de.
Technical University of Munich · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInteractions between aboveground and belowground terrestrial communities are often mediated by plants, with soil organisms interacting via the roots and aboveground organisms via the shoots and leaves. Many studies now show that plant genetics can drive changes in the structure of both above and belowground communities; however, the role of plant genetic variation in mediating aboveground-belowground interactions is still unclear. We used an earthworm-plant-aphid model system with two aphid species (Aphis fabae and Acyrthosiphon pisum) to test the effect of host-plant (Vicia faba) genetic variation on the indirect interaction between the belowground earthworms (Eisenia veneta) on the aboveground aphid populations.

resultsOur data shows that host-plant variety mediated an indirect ecological effect of earthworms on generalist black bean aphids (A. fabae), with earthworms increasing aphid growth rate in three plant varieties but decreasing it in another variety. We found no effect of earthworms on the second aphid species, the pea aphid (A. pisum), and no effect of competition between the aphid species. Plant biomass was increased when earthworms were present, and decreased when A. pisum was feeding on the plant (mediated by plant variety). Although A. fabae aphids were influenced by the plants and worms, they did not, in turn, alter plant biomass.

conclusionsPrevious work has shown inconsistent effects of earthworms on aphids, but we suggest these differences could be explained by plant genetic variation and variation among aphid species. This study demonstrates that the outcome of belowground-aboveground interactions can be mediated by genetic variation in the host-plant, but depends on the identity of the species involved.

Indexed as

Food ChainGenetic VariationAnimalsAphidsBiomassCompetitive BehaviorNitrogen CycleOligochaetaPopulation DynamicsVicia faba

Identifiers

PMID25331082
PMCPMC4209454
OpenAlexW2102734028

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.