Data from: Growth strategy, phylogeny and stoichiometry determine the allelopathic potential of native and non-native plants

Secondary compounds can contribute to the success of non-native plant species if they reduce damage by native herbivores or inhibit the growth of native plant competitors. However, there is opposing evidence on whether the secondary compounds of non-native plant species are stronger than those of natives. This may be explained by other factors, besides plant origin, that affect the potential of plant secondary compounds. We tested how plant origin, phylogeny, growth strategy and stoichiometry affected the allelopathic potential of 34 aquatic plants. The allelopathic potential was quantified using bioassays with the cyanobacterium Dolichospermum flos-aquae. The allelopathic potential showed a strong phylogenetic signal, but was similar for native and non-native species. Growth strategy was important, and emergent plants had twice the allelopathic potential as compared to submerged plants. Furthermore, the allelopathic potential was positively correlated to the foliar carbon-to-phosphorus (C:P) and total phenolic content. We conclude that eudicot plant species with an emergent growth strategy and high plant C:P ratio exhibit a high allelopathic potential. Unless non-native plant species match this profile, they generally have a similar allelopathic potential as natives.Plant traitsThis file contains records for 34 plant species (rows) for the following traits (columns): Scientific.name = scientific plant name Plant.clade = clade that a plant belongs to Plant.order = order that a plant belongs to Latitudinal.class = plant species were classified to either temperate or tropical (includes subtropical) origin Dutch.status = whether a species is native to the Netherlands Functional.group = the functional group that a plant belongs to (emergent, submerged) Allelopathic.potential = the measured allelopathic potential using agar bioassays (in mm; diameter of clearing spots) N = nitrogen content of foliar material (in % of dry mass) C = carbon content of foliar plant material (in % of dry mass) P = phosphorus content of foliar plant material (in % of dry mass) DMC = dry matter content of foliar material (in % of wet mass) Total.phenolics = total phenolic content of foliar material (in mg g-1 dry mass Acquisition = whether plants were collected in the field or ordered from a plant breeder greenhouse = whether plants were kept in the greenhouse Total.sugars = total amount of free soluble sugars (in mg g-1 dry mass)10.1111oik.03956-data.xlsPhylogenetic plant treeThis file contains the phylogenetic distances for the aquatic plant species involved. This file was used for the phylogenetic analyses.10.1111oik.03956-phylogenetic-tre