The main purpose of this study was to examine the effects of plant species diversity and functional composition (the identity of the plant functional groups) on ecosystem stability of Stipa, communities in the Inner M...The main purpose of this study was to examine the effects of plant species diversity and functional composition (the identity of the plant functional groups) on ecosystem stability of Stipa, communities in the Inner Mongolia Plateau. The research work was based on a 12-year study (from 1984 to 1995) of species abundance, diversity, and primary productivity of four Stipa communities, i.e. S. baicalensis Roshev., S. grandis P. Smirn., S, krylovii Roshev., and S. klemenzii Roshev. respectively. The Shnnon-Wiener index was used as a measurement of plant diversity, while functional composition was used to differentiate the functional groups that were included in the communities. The plant species of four Stipa communities were classified into functional groups based on the differences in life forms and ecological groups, which influence their performance in resource requirements, seasonality of growth, tolerance to water stress, and life history. Plant species were classified into five functional groups based on their differences in life form, shrubs and half shrubs, perennial bunch grasses, perennial rhizome grasses, forbs, annuals and biennials. Based on their differences in water requirement these species were classified into four functional groups: xerads, intermediate xerads, intermediate mesophytes, and mesophytes. The results showed: 1) Plant species diversity stabilized ecosystem processes. Shannon-Wiener index were 2.401 4, 2.172 0, 1.624 8, 0.354 3 from S. baicalensis community to S. grandis, S. krylovii and S. klemenzii community, respectively. The dynamics of the aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) for a 12-year's period showed a reverse pattern, the coefficients of variation of the four communities were 21.94%, 20.63%, 29.21% and 39.72% respectively. 2) The Life form functional group component of diversity was a greater determinant of the ecosystem processes than the species component of diversity. The effects of perennial bunch grasses, perennial rhizome grasses and forbs on community stability were highly significant. 3) The ecological group component of diversity was also a great determinant of the ecosystem processes. The effects of xerads, intermediate xerads, and mesophytes on community stability were also very strong.展开更多
Aims Seasonal variations in species richness,aboveground net primary productivity(ANPP)and stability under resource enrichment are frequently ignored.This study explores how the impacts of resource enrichment on speci...Aims Seasonal variations in species richness,aboveground net primary productivity(ANPP)and stability under resource enrichment are frequently ignored.This study explores how the impacts of resource enrichment on species richness,ANPP and stability vary among seasons in semi-arid grasslands.Methods We conducted a 3-year experiment in an Inner Mongolia grassland to determine the effects of resource input(water[W],nitrogen[N])on species richness,community ANPP and stability using seasonal sampling during the growing season(2013–2015).Structural equation modeling(SEM)was used to examine the relative importance of resource input on community stability via mechanistic pathways in each month and the whole growing season.Important Findings Resource inputs did not affect community ANPP in May and June,while N and/or NW enhanced ANPP in July and August.Resource inputs generally did not affect species richness,asynchrony or community stability in most of the time.Positive responses of perennial bunchgrasses(PB)to N and/or NW treatments contributed to the increased community ANPP in July and August.Species asynchrony may be the major mechanism contributing to community stability in May and June and the entire growing season,and PB stability is potentially the primary factor controlling community stability in July and August under resource enrichment.Our results indicate that season and resource availability could interact to regulate species richness,community ANPP and stability in semi-arid grasslands.These findings have important implications for management practices in semi-arid grasslands in order to mitigate the impact of land use and global change.展开更多
文摘The main purpose of this study was to examine the effects of plant species diversity and functional composition (the identity of the plant functional groups) on ecosystem stability of Stipa, communities in the Inner Mongolia Plateau. The research work was based on a 12-year study (from 1984 to 1995) of species abundance, diversity, and primary productivity of four Stipa communities, i.e. S. baicalensis Roshev., S. grandis P. Smirn., S, krylovii Roshev., and S. klemenzii Roshev. respectively. The Shnnon-Wiener index was used as a measurement of plant diversity, while functional composition was used to differentiate the functional groups that were included in the communities. The plant species of four Stipa communities were classified into functional groups based on the differences in life forms and ecological groups, which influence their performance in resource requirements, seasonality of growth, tolerance to water stress, and life history. Plant species were classified into five functional groups based on their differences in life form, shrubs and half shrubs, perennial bunch grasses, perennial rhizome grasses, forbs, annuals and biennials. Based on their differences in water requirement these species were classified into four functional groups: xerads, intermediate xerads, intermediate mesophytes, and mesophytes. The results showed: 1) Plant species diversity stabilized ecosystem processes. Shannon-Wiener index were 2.401 4, 2.172 0, 1.624 8, 0.354 3 from S. baicalensis community to S. grandis, S. krylovii and S. klemenzii community, respectively. The dynamics of the aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) for a 12-year's period showed a reverse pattern, the coefficients of variation of the four communities were 21.94%, 20.63%, 29.21% and 39.72% respectively. 2) The Life form functional group component of diversity was a greater determinant of the ecosystem processes than the species component of diversity. The effects of perennial bunch grasses, perennial rhizome grasses and forbs on community stability were highly significant. 3) The ecological group component of diversity was also a great determinant of the ecosystem processes. The effects of xerads, intermediate xerads, and mesophytes on community stability were also very strong.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31630010 and 31320103916).
文摘Aims Seasonal variations in species richness,aboveground net primary productivity(ANPP)and stability under resource enrichment are frequently ignored.This study explores how the impacts of resource enrichment on species richness,ANPP and stability vary among seasons in semi-arid grasslands.Methods We conducted a 3-year experiment in an Inner Mongolia grassland to determine the effects of resource input(water[W],nitrogen[N])on species richness,community ANPP and stability using seasonal sampling during the growing season(2013–2015).Structural equation modeling(SEM)was used to examine the relative importance of resource input on community stability via mechanistic pathways in each month and the whole growing season.Important Findings Resource inputs did not affect community ANPP in May and June,while N and/or NW enhanced ANPP in July and August.Resource inputs generally did not affect species richness,asynchrony or community stability in most of the time.Positive responses of perennial bunchgrasses(PB)to N and/or NW treatments contributed to the increased community ANPP in July and August.Species asynchrony may be the major mechanism contributing to community stability in May and June and the entire growing season,and PB stability is potentially the primary factor controlling community stability in July and August under resource enrichment.Our results indicate that season and resource availability could interact to regulate species richness,community ANPP and stability in semi-arid grasslands.These findings have important implications for management practices in semi-arid grasslands in order to mitigate the impact of land use and global change.
