Description
The stability of a plant community is the embodiment of the dynamic balance achieved by the interaction between populations in the form of competition or mutual benefit. Temporal stability refers to the ratio of the average value to the variance of the biomass of the population or community. For grassland ecosystems, the stability of the grassland plant community is the basis for its survival and functional performance, and is the key factor affecting its structure and function. In order to study the impact of grazing on the temporal stability of aboveground biomass of desert steppe, this study used a completely randomized block design to study the relationship between the temporal stability of Stipa breviflora desert steppe vegetation communities and functional groups under different grazing intensities and their influencing factors, and then explored the relationship between temporal stability and species richness and species asynchrony. The results showed that heavy grazing significantly reduced temporal stability, species richness and species asynchrony of grassland communities. In terms of plant functional groups, grazing significantly reduced the stability of shrubs, semi-shrubs and perennial miscellaneous grasses. There were significant positive correlations between species richness and species asynchrony and community stability. Therefore, understanding changes in community asynchrony, richness and functional group stability is of great significance to further understanding of the temporal stability of desert grassland plant communities.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Heavy Grazing Significantly Reduced the Temporal Stability of Aboveground Biomass
The stability of a plant community is the embodiment of the dynamic balance achieved by the interaction between populations in the form of competition or mutual benefit. Temporal stability refers to the ratio of the average value to the variance of the biomass of the population or community. For grassland ecosystems, the stability of the grassland plant community is the basis for its survival and functional performance, and is the key factor affecting its structure and function. In order to study the impact of grazing on the temporal stability of aboveground biomass of desert steppe, this study used a completely randomized block design to study the relationship between the temporal stability of Stipa breviflora desert steppe vegetation communities and functional groups under different grazing intensities and their influencing factors, and then explored the relationship between temporal stability and species richness and species asynchrony. The results showed that heavy grazing significantly reduced temporal stability, species richness and species asynchrony of grassland communities. In terms of plant functional groups, grazing significantly reduced the stability of shrubs, semi-shrubs and perennial miscellaneous grasses. There were significant positive correlations between species richness and species asynchrony and community stability. Therefore, understanding changes in community asynchrony, richness and functional group stability is of great significance to further understanding of the temporal stability of desert grassland plant communities.
