title: Data on litter quality of host grass plants with and without fungal endophytes.
abstract: Certain Pooideae species form persistent symbiosis with fungal endophytes of Epichloë genus. Although endophytes are known to impact the ecology and evolution of host species, their effects on parameters related with quality of plant biomass has been elusive. This article provides information about parameters related with the quality of plant litter biomass of two important grass species (Schedonorus phoenix and Schedonorus pratensis) affected by the symbiosis with fungal endophytes (Epichloë coenophiala and Epichloë uncinata, respectively). Four population origins of S. phoenix and one of S. pratensis were included. Mineral, biochemical and structural parameters were obtained from three samples per factors combination [species (and population origin)×endophyte]. This data can be potentially used in other studies which, by means of 'data reanalyzing' or meta-analysis, attempt to find generalizations about endophyte effects on host plant litter biomass. The present data is associated with the research article "Role of foliar fungal endophytes on litter decomposition among species and population origins" (Gundel et al., In preparation) [1].
authors.affiliation: IFEVA - CONICET - Faculty of Agronomy, Buenos Aires University (UBA), Argentina.
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Gundel
authors.affiliation: Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20100 Turku, Finland; Natural Resources and Biomass Production Research, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), 20520 Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Helander
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Investigación en Agroecología (AGRECO), Sede Andina, Universidad Nacional de Río Negro (UNRN) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Mitre 630, Río Negro, CP 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Garibaldi
authors.affiliation: Department of Abiotic Stress, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca (IRNASA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Vázquez-de-Aldana
authors.affiliation: Department of Abiotic Stress, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca (IRNASA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zabalgogeazcoa
authors.affiliation: Natural Resources and Biomass Production Research, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), 20520 Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saikkonen