Mazzoleni conference viana do castelo
This document summarizes a presentation on the surprising mechanism of biodiversity: extracellular self-DNA. Through experimental evidence and theoretical modeling, it was discovered that decomposing plant litter and root turnover releases extracellular DNA that can inhibit the growth of the same and other plant species through autotoxic and allelopathic effects. This inhibitory effect of extracellular self-DNA provides a potential mechanism for negative plant-soil feedback and helps explain patterns of biodiversity like Janzen-Connell effects and the formation of rings around certain plant species. The presentation discusses evidence from over 30 plant species and suggests extracellular DNA release may be a general biological phenomenon influencing various ecological patterns and processes.
