Publications by authors named "A Marilyn Leitch"
Repetitive DNA contributes significantly to plant genome size, adaptation, and evolution. However, little is understood about the transcription of repeats. This is addressed here in the plant green foxtail millet (Setaria viridis).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExperiments comparing diploids with polyploids and in single grassland sites show that nitrogen and/or phosphorus availability influences plant growth and community composition dependent on genome size; specifically, plants with larger genomes grow faster under nutrient enrichments relative to those with smaller genomes. However, it is unknown if these effects are specific to particular site localities with speciifc plant assemblages, climates, and historical contingencies. To determine the generality of genome size-dependent growth responses to nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization, we combined genome size and species abundance data from 27 coordinated grassland nutrient addition experiments in the Nutrient Network that occur in the Northern Hemisphere across a range of climates and grassland communities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Two hypotheses, the nutrient identity hypothesis and the niche dimension hypothesis, explain plant diversity loss from nutrient additions, with the former focusing on specific nutrients like nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) and the latter emphasizing the effects of having multiple limiting nutrients.
- A study was conducted in a meadow grassland to test both hypotheses by manipulating the supply of eight different nutrients, revealing that nitrogen (and nitrogen combined with phosphorus) had the most significant negative impact on biodiversity, alongside some effects from the number of nutrients added.
- Structural equation models indicated that both the identity and quantity of nutrients directly harm biodiversity by affecting species competition and indirectly contribute through increased aboveground biomass, which intensifies competition for resources like light, thereby facilitating the exclusion of shorter species.
Article Synopsis
- Social prescribing is gaining worldwide attention, highlighting its importance in improving community health and well-being.
- A recent study involved 48 experts from 26 countries to create a unified definition of social prescribing.
- The reflection on this study emphasizes its practical applications and discusses future directions for social prescribing initiatives.
Article Synopsis
- A genome assembly has been created for the purple glasswort, a plant species belonging to the Chenopodiaceae family.
- The complete genome sequence is 529.1 megabases long and is organized into 9 chromosomal pseudomolecules.
- Additionally, the mitochondrial genome is 328.55 kilobases and the plastid genome is 153.3 kilobases in size.