Whole mitochondrial genomes are often used in phylogenetic reconstruction. However, discordant patterns in species relationships between mitochondrial and nuclear phylogenies are commonly observed. Within Anthozoa (Phylum Cnidaria), mitochondrial-nuclear discordance has not yet been examined using a large and comparable dataset. Here, we used data obtained from target-capture enrichment sequencing to assemble and annotate mitochondrial genomes and reconstruct phylogenies for comparisons to phylogenies inferred from 100s of nuclear loci obtained from the same samples. The datasets comprised 108 hexacorals and 94 octocorals representing all orders and >50% of extant families. Results indicated rampant discordance between datasets at every taxonomic level. This discordance is not attributable to substitution saturation, but rather likely caused by recent and ancient introgressive hybridization and selection. We also found strong purifying selection across the mitochondrial genomes, cautioning their use in analyses that rely on assumptions of neutrality. Furthermore, unique properties of the mitochondrial genomes were noted, including genome rearrangements and the presence of nad5 introns. Specifically, we note the presence of the homing endonuclease in ceriantharians. This large dataset of mitochondrial genomes further demonstrates the utility of off-target reads generated from target-capture data for mitochondrial genome assembly and adds to the growing knowledge of anthozoan evolution.

Purpose Plant-soil feedbacks and herbivory impact plant growth. We conducted a meta-analysis to test for an interaction between plant-soil feedbacks and herbivory, including effects on the magnitude and direction of feedbacks and the biomass or growth of herbivores. Methods Our literature search identified 244 studies to address our first question about herbivore impacts on plant-soil feedbacks as well as 179 studies to address our second question about plant-soil impacts on herbivores. We developed a database, calculated plant-soil feedback values for each study, then calculated Hedge’s D values for 1) the difference in plant-soil feedback values with and without herbivory for plants, and 2) the difference between home and away soils for insects. Results We found an overall significant weak negative effect of herbivory on plantsoil feedbacks, and effects differed between plant functional type. In legumes herbivory changed the outcome of plant-soil feedbacks from positive to negative, in forbs it further decreased negative feedbacks, and grasses were unaffected. We also found soil preconditioned in the lab produced consistently negative feedbacks whereas there was no significant change for soil preconditioned in the field. By contrast, there was no significant overall effect of plant-soil feedbacks on herbivores. Conclusion This first meta-analysis of the impact of herbivores on plant-soil feedbacks and vice versa identified an important potential role of plant functional type in determining the impact of conditioned soil on the magnitude and direction of feedbacks as well as some clear gaps that need to be addressed experimentally.

Plant-soil feedbacks influence plant quality and quantity for herbivores, and in some studies this influence has been shown to vary with plant functional group. To better assess the impact of plant-soil feedbacks and plant functional group on herbivores we conducted the first meta-analysis to test for an interaction between plant-soil feedbacks and herbivory, including effects on the magnitude and direction of feedbacks, herbivore consumption and herbivore growth. We identified 197 studies to address herbivore impacts on plant-soil feedbacks and 189 studies to address plant-soil impacts on herbivores. We calculated Hedge’s G values based on plant-soil feedback values (ratio of plant growth in home soils divided by away soils using the log transformed ratio of means) to assess three questions: 1) What is the plant-soil feedback value of plants exposed to herbivory or no herbivory? 2) What is the growth or biomass of herbivores feeding on plants exposed to home or away soils in plant-soil feedback studies? 3) How much plant tissue is consumed by herbivores on plants grown in home or away soils? We found an overall significant weak negative effect of herbivory on plant-soil feedbacks that varied by plant functional type. In legumes herbivory drove plant-soil feedbacks from positive to negative, but herbivory on forbs further decreased negative feedbacks. Herbivore consumption was generally greater on plants grown in away soils. However, herbivore consumption was greater in home soils conditioned by legumes but lower in home soils conditioned by forbs. Therefore, plant functional type determines the impact of conditioned soil on feedbacks, and herbivore consumption explains these results for legumes but not forbs.