Data associated with article "Distance- and density-dependent recruitment of common ragwort is not driven by plant-soil feedbacks".
Description
This is the supplementary data associated with the article "Distance- and density-dependent recruitment of common ragwort is not driven by plant-soil feedbacks". The detailed description can be found in the original article. In this study, we established 27 replicated 8 × 8 m2 plots at two sites in The Netherlands. Within each plot, we mapped the positions of rosettes and flowering Jacobaea vulgaris plants. To investigate temporal distribution patterns, we also tracked plant positions repeatedly in three plots at one site during a single season. Using spatial point pattern analysis, we explored distance- and density-dependent effects on J. vulgaris populations. Additionally, we examined whether the observed distance- and density-dependent spatial patterns were soil-mediated. To test this, we collected soil samples from underneath flowering plants and at a distance of 0.5 meter from each flowering plant. These soil samples were used as "home" and "away" soil to trace seed germination, seedling survival, and growth. Furthermore, we measured J. vulgaris biomass in soil collected from patches with high J. vulgaris densities and soil from areas outside these patches.