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Genetic diversity among individual plants within a population plays a major role in the health of ecosystems, a new study reports.

Researchers studied field plots of goldenrod plants and manipulated the number of goldenrod gene types within each plots. The plots with the greatest genotypic diversity among the goldenrod plants had the greatest insect diversity and the greatest net primary productivity.

The researchers conclude that the extra insects are attracted by both the diversity of the plant hosts -- since the insects specialize to some degree -- and the sheer amount of plant material available.

The study is detailed in the Aug. 18 issue of the journal Science.

--LiveScience Staff

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Credit: Science