Skip to main content
bioRxiv
  • Home
  • About
  • Submit
  • ALERTS / RSS
Advanced Search
New Results

Genotypic variability enhances the reproducibility of an ecological study

View ORCID ProfileAlexandru Milcu, Ruben Puga-Freitas, Aaron M. Ellison, Manuel Blouin, Stefan Scheu, Thomas Girin, Grégoire T. Freschet, Laura Rose, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Sebastien Barot, Jean-Christophe Lata, Simone Cesarz, Nico Eisenhauer, Agnès Gigon, Alexandra Weigelt, Amandine Hansart, Anna Greiner, Anne Pando, Arthur Gessler, Carlo Grignani, Davide Assandri, Gerd Gleixner, Jean-François Le Galliard, Katherine Urban-Mead, Laura Zavattaro, Marina E.H. Müller, Markus Lange, Martin Lukac, Michael Bonkowski, Neringa Mannerheim, Nina Buchmann, Olaf Butenschoen, Paula Rotter, Rahme Seyhun, Sebastien Devidal, Zachary Kayler, Jacques Roy
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/080119
Alexandru Milcu
1Ecotron (UPS-3248), CNRS, Campus Baillarguet, F-34980, Montferrier-sur-Lez, France.
2Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CEFE-CNRS, UMR 5175, Université de Montpellier – Université Paul Valéry – EPHE, 1919 route de Mende, F-34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for Alexandru Milcu
Ruben Puga-Freitas
3Institut des Sciences de l’Ecologie et de l’Environnement de Paris (UPMC, UPEC, Paris Diderot, CNRS, IRD, INRA), Université Paris-Est Créteil, 61 avenue du Général De Gaulle, F-94010 Créteil Cedex, France.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Aaron M. Ellison
4Harvard Forest, Harvard University, 324 North Main Street, Petersham, Massachusetts, USA.
5University of the Sunshine Coast, Tropical Forests and People Research Centre, Locked Bag 4, Maroochydore DC, Queensland 4558, Australia.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Manuel Blouin
3Institut des Sciences de l’Ecologie et de l’Environnement de Paris (UPMC, UPEC, Paris Diderot, CNRS, IRD, INRA), Université Paris-Est Créteil, 61 avenue du Général De Gaulle, F-94010 Créteil Cedex, France.
6IRD, Institut des Sciences de l’Ecologie et de l’Environnement de Paris (UPMC, UPEC, Paris Diderot, CNRS, IRD, INRA), UPMC, Bâtiment 44-45, deuxième étage, bureau 208, CC 237, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Stefan Scheu
7J.F. Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, Georg August University Göttingen, Berliner Str. 28, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Thomas Girin
8Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, RD10, 78026 Versailles Cedex, France.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Grégoire T. Freschet
2Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CEFE-CNRS, UMR 5175, Université de Montpellier – Université Paul Valéry – EPHE, 1919 route de Mende, F-34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Laura Rose
9Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Geobotany, Schaenzlestr. 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Michael Scherer-Lorenzen
9Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Geobotany, Schaenzlestr. 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Sebastien Barot
6IRD, Institut des Sciences de l’Ecologie et de l’Environnement de Paris (UPMC, UPEC, Paris Diderot, CNRS, IRD, INRA), UPMC, Bâtiment 44-45, deuxième étage, bureau 208, CC 237, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Jean-Christophe Lata
10Institut des Sciences de l’Ecologie et de l’Environnement de Paris (UPMC, UPEC, Paris Diderot, CNRS, IRD, INRA), Sorbonne Universités, CC 237, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Simone Cesarz
11German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
12Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 21, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Nico Eisenhauer
11German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
12Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 21, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Agnès Gigon
3Institut des Sciences de l’Ecologie et de l’Environnement de Paris (UPMC, UPEC, Paris Diderot, CNRS, IRD, INRA), Université Paris-Est Créteil, 61 avenue du Général De Gaulle, F-94010 Créteil Cedex, France.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Alexandra Weigelt
11German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
12Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 21, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Amandine Hansart
13Ecole normale supérieure, PSL Research University, Département de biologie, CNRS, UMS 3194, Centre de recherche en écologie expérimentale et prédictive (CEREEP-Ecotron IleDeFrance), 78 rue du château, 77140 Saint-Pierre-lés-Nemours, France.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Anna Greiner
9Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Geobotany, Schaenzlestr. 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Anne Pando
6IRD, Institut des Sciences de l’Ecologie et de l’Environnement de Paris (UPMC, UPEC, Paris Diderot, CNRS, IRD, INRA), UPMC, Bâtiment 44-45, deuxième étage, bureau 208, CC 237, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Arthur Gessler
14Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Institute of Landscape Biogeochemistry, Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany.
15Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstr. 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Carlo Grignani
16Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, largo Braccini, 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Davide Assandri
16Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, largo Braccini, 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Gerd Gleixner
17Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Institute for Zoology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Köln, Germany.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Jean-François Le Galliard
10Institut des Sciences de l’Ecologie et de l’Environnement de Paris (UPMC, UPEC, Paris Diderot, CNRS, IRD, INRA), Sorbonne Universités, CC 237, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France.
13Ecole normale supérieure, PSL Research University, Département de biologie, CNRS, UMS 3194, Centre de recherche en écologie expérimentale et prédictive (CEREEP-Ecotron IleDeFrance), 78 rue du château, 77140 Saint-Pierre-lés-Nemours, France.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Katherine Urban-Mead
2Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CEFE-CNRS, UMR 5175, Université de Montpellier – Université Paul Valéry – EPHE, 1919 route de Mende, F-34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Laura Zavattaro
16Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, largo Braccini, 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Marina E.H. Müller
14Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Institute of Landscape Biogeochemistry, Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Markus Lange
18Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Postfach 100164, 07701 Jena, Germany.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Martin Lukac
19School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AR, UK.
20FLD, Czech University of Life Sciences, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Michael Bonkowski
17Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Institute for Zoology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Köln, Germany.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Neringa Mannerheim
21Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Universitätsstrasse 2, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Nina Buchmann
21Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Universitätsstrasse 2, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Olaf Butenschoen
7J.F. Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, Georg August University Göttingen, Berliner Str. 28, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
22Senckenberg Biodiversität und Klima Forschungszentrum BiK-F, Georg-Voigt-Straße 14-16, Frankfurt am Main.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Paula Rotter
9Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Geobotany, Schaenzlestr. 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Rahme Seyhun
19School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AR, UK.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Sebastien Devidal
1Ecotron (UPS-3248), CNRS, Campus Baillarguet, F-34980, Montferrier-sur-Lez, France.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Zachary Kayler
14Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Institute of Landscape Biogeochemistry, Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany.
23Department of Soil and Water Systems, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Dr., Moscow, ID, USA.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Jacques Roy
1Ecotron (UPS-3248), CNRS, Campus Baillarguet, F-34980, Montferrier-sur-Lez, France.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Abstract
  • Full Text
  • Info/History
  • Metrics
  • Supplementary material
  • Preview PDF
Loading

Abstract

Many scientific disciplines currently are experiencing a “reproducibility crisis” because numerous scientific findings cannot be repeated consistently. A novel but controversial hypothesis postulates that stringent levels of environmental and biotic standardization in experimental studies reduces reproducibility by amplifying impacts of lab-specific environmental factors not accounted for in study designs. A corollary to this hypothesis is that the deliberate introduction of controlled systematic variability (CSV) in experimental designs can increase reproducibility. We tested this hypothesis using a multi-laboratory microcosm study in which the same ecological experiment was repeated in 14 laboratories across Europe. Each laboratory introduced environmental and genotypic CSV within and among replicated microcosms established in either growth chambers (with stringent control of environmental conditions) or glasshouses (with more variable environmental conditions). The introduction of genotypic CSV led to lower among-laboratory variability in growth chambers, indicating increased reproducibility, but had no significant effect in glasshouses where reproducibility also was lower. Environmental CSV had little effect on reproducibility. Although there are multiple causes for the “reproducibility crisis”, deliberately including genetic variation may be a simple solution for increasing the reproducibility of ecological studies performed in controlled environments.

Copyright 
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
Back to top
PreviousNext
Posted August 08, 2017.
Download PDF

Supplementary Material

Email

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv.

NOTE: Your email address is requested solely to identify you as the sender of this article.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Genotypic variability enhances the reproducibility of an ecological study
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from bioRxiv
(Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the bioRxiv website.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Share
Genotypic variability enhances the reproducibility of an ecological study
Alexandru Milcu, Ruben Puga-Freitas, Aaron M. Ellison, Manuel Blouin, Stefan Scheu, Thomas Girin, Grégoire T. Freschet, Laura Rose, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Sebastien Barot, Jean-Christophe Lata, Simone Cesarz, Nico Eisenhauer, Agnès Gigon, Alexandra Weigelt, Amandine Hansart, Anna Greiner, Anne Pando, Arthur Gessler, Carlo Grignani, Davide Assandri, Gerd Gleixner, Jean-François Le Galliard, Katherine Urban-Mead, Laura Zavattaro, Marina E.H. Müller, Markus Lange, Martin Lukac, Michael Bonkowski, Neringa Mannerheim, Nina Buchmann, Olaf Butenschoen, Paula Rotter, Rahme Seyhun, Sebastien Devidal, Zachary Kayler, Jacques Roy
bioRxiv 080119; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/080119
Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Google logo LinkedIn logo Mendeley logo
Citation Tools
Genotypic variability enhances the reproducibility of an ecological study
Alexandru Milcu, Ruben Puga-Freitas, Aaron M. Ellison, Manuel Blouin, Stefan Scheu, Thomas Girin, Grégoire T. Freschet, Laura Rose, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Sebastien Barot, Jean-Christophe Lata, Simone Cesarz, Nico Eisenhauer, Agnès Gigon, Alexandra Weigelt, Amandine Hansart, Anna Greiner, Anne Pando, Arthur Gessler, Carlo Grignani, Davide Assandri, Gerd Gleixner, Jean-François Le Galliard, Katherine Urban-Mead, Laura Zavattaro, Marina E.H. Müller, Markus Lange, Martin Lukac, Michael Bonkowski, Neringa Mannerheim, Nina Buchmann, Olaf Butenschoen, Paula Rotter, Rahme Seyhun, Sebastien Devidal, Zachary Kayler, Jacques Roy
bioRxiv 080119; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/080119

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Subject Area

  • Ecology
Subject Areas
All Articles
  • Animal Behavior and Cognition (3609)
  • Biochemistry (7590)
  • Bioengineering (5533)
  • Bioinformatics (20833)
  • Biophysics (10347)
  • Cancer Biology (7998)
  • Cell Biology (11663)
  • Clinical Trials (138)
  • Developmental Biology (6619)
  • Ecology (10227)
  • Epidemiology (2065)
  • Evolutionary Biology (13648)
  • Genetics (9557)
  • Genomics (12860)
  • Immunology (7932)
  • Microbiology (19575)
  • Molecular Biology (7678)
  • Neuroscience (42193)
  • Paleontology (309)
  • Pathology (1259)
  • Pharmacology and Toxicology (2208)
  • Physiology (3272)
  • Plant Biology (7064)
  • Scientific Communication and Education (1295)
  • Synthetic Biology (1953)
  • Systems Biology (5435)
  • Zoology (1119)