Fig. 3

Root isolation changes the correlation between priority effect index and pot biomass. This figure only includes the no plant removal treatments. Priority effects indices values based on aboveground (a), belowground (b), and total biomass (c) of each species in mixed plant community. The absolute values indicate the strength of order-specific priority effects. The greater the absolute value, the greater the impact of early sown on late-sown species. The positive or negative values indicate the direction (the facilitation or inhibition effects of early sown species on late-sown species). Each dotted line represents the effect of a linear model fit, while the shaded area shows the 95% confidence intervals around the fit. r, Pearson correlation coefficient; P, error probability