Question

Native grassland Total plant cover (%) 1 المسلسللللللملسلسسللللللسل 5 20 25 10 15 Species richness Native grassland Nitrate in rooting zone (mg kg ') 0.0 LLLL LLLLLLLLLLLL 10 15 20 Species richness FIG. 2 a, Mean Is.e.m. of total plant cover (fitted curve: y = 46.1 + 1.40x, R? = 0.16, n = 120, P<0.001) and b, soil nitrate in the rooting zone (fitted curve: y = 0.92 -0.045x, R = 0.22, n = 120, P<0.001) both plotted against plant-species richness in 120 native grassland plots. Figures indicate the number of plots with a given level of plant species richness. Simple curvilinear fits were no better than lines. METHODS. Native, undisturbed grassland in Field D (ref. 24) was sampled for plant species cover and species richness (number of vascular plant species per plot) in 120 plots, each 1m x 1m, with a black of 4 such plots in each of 30 localities. Four 0-20 cm soil cores per plot were extracted for measuring NO, and NH levels.

Can someone help me interpret this figure, thank you!

Answer 1

The first figure tells that the percentage of total plant cover in increased with increase in species richness.

The second figure tells that nitrate in rooting zone is decreased with increase in species richness.

When the data of both figure is compiled, then these figure tells that increase in percentage of plant cover will lead to decrease in nitrate concentration in rooting zone. Because the nitrate is absorbed by the roots so that nitrogenous compound can be synthesised for the proper growth of plant cover.