Responses of variables to density
Density had significant effects on mean coefficient of variation (CV), mean number of correlations (NC), and mean degree of plasticity (ABS RDPIs) for all traits (P < 0.05; Table 2). However, responses of variables to density became less significant over time (Fig. 1). Across both soil conditions at 50 d, compared to low density, high and medium densities increased CI (LSD, P< 0.010). In fertile soil, high vs low density increased mean CV by 20% at 50 d (P = 0.046), decreased NC slightly at 70 d (P = 0.067). No difference in mean CV and CI between densities was found at 70 d. CV values were significant in more traits, NC values tended to decrease, with higher densities in fertile soil (Table S2, S3). Across both growth stages, mean ABS RDPIs in response to high density was greater than that in response to medium density, compared to low density in infertile soil (P < 0.001; Fig. 1). Total mass was highly plastic, with the average relative plasticity (REL RDPIs) of -0.433 in response to high density across all soil conditions and stages and other traits had plasticity varying with soil conditions and growth stages (Table S4).