Relationship between Species Diversity and Community Stability in Degraded Alpine Meadows during Bare Patch Succession
Plant diversity plays an important role in maintaining the stability of ecosystem functioning. Based on field surveys and indoor analyses, this study investigated the relationship between species diversity and community stability at different stages of bare patch succession in degraded alpine meadow...
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Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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Series: | Plants |
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/20/3582 |
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author | Yandi She Xilai Li Chengyi Li Pengnian Yang Zihan Song Jing Zhang |
author_facet | Yandi She Xilai Li Chengyi Li Pengnian Yang Zihan Song Jing Zhang |
author_sort | Yandi She |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Plant diversity plays an important role in maintaining the stability of ecosystem functioning. Based on field surveys and indoor analyses, this study investigated the relationship between species diversity and community stability at different stages of bare patch succession in degraded alpine meadow ecosystems. Results show that: (1) Using the ICV (the Inverse of the Coefficient of Variation) method to analyze changes in plant community stability, community stability was generally ranked as follows: Long-term recovered patches > Healthy alpine meadow > Degraded alpine meadow > Short-term recovered patch > Bare Patches. (2) Using factor analysis to construct an evaluation system, the stability ranking based on species diversity was as follows: Healthy alpine meadow > Long-term recovered patches > Degraded alpine meadow > Short-term recovered patches > Bare Patches. (3) The community stability index was significantly positively correlated with vegetation coverage, height, biomass, species richness, Shannon–Wiener diversity index, species evenness, and Simpson’s diversity index (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Therefore, a positive correlation exists between plant diversity and community stability, such that plant communities with a higher species diversity tend to be more stable. To maintain the plant diversity and community stability of alpine meadow ecosystems, it is necessary to consider the characteristics of grassland plant composition and community structure, as well as their influencing factors, and promote the positive succession process of grasslands. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:56:52Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-a98fa1150b7547ad9b5b1671451640d0 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2223-7747 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:56:52Z |
publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
record_format | Article |
series | Plants |
spelling | doaj.art-a98fa1150b7547ad9b5b1671451640d02023-11-19T17:49:05ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472023-10-011220358210.3390/plants12203582Relationship between Species Diversity and Community Stability in Degraded Alpine Meadows during Bare Patch SuccessionYandi She0Xilai Li1Chengyi Li2Pengnian Yang3Zihan Song4Jing Zhang5College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, ChinaCollege of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, ChinaCollege of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, ChinaCollege of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, ChinaCollege of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, ChinaCollege of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, ChinaPlant diversity plays an important role in maintaining the stability of ecosystem functioning. Based on field surveys and indoor analyses, this study investigated the relationship between species diversity and community stability at different stages of bare patch succession in degraded alpine meadow ecosystems. Results show that: (1) Using the ICV (the Inverse of the Coefficient of Variation) method to analyze changes in plant community stability, community stability was generally ranked as follows: Long-term recovered patches > Healthy alpine meadow > Degraded alpine meadow > Short-term recovered patch > Bare Patches. (2) Using factor analysis to construct an evaluation system, the stability ranking based on species diversity was as follows: Healthy alpine meadow > Long-term recovered patches > Degraded alpine meadow > Short-term recovered patches > Bare Patches. (3) The community stability index was significantly positively correlated with vegetation coverage, height, biomass, species richness, Shannon–Wiener diversity index, species evenness, and Simpson’s diversity index (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Therefore, a positive correlation exists between plant diversity and community stability, such that plant communities with a higher species diversity tend to be more stable. To maintain the plant diversity and community stability of alpine meadow ecosystems, it is necessary to consider the characteristics of grassland plant composition and community structure, as well as their influencing factors, and promote the positive succession process of grasslands.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/20/3582successionpatchily degraded alpine meadowspecies diversitycommunity stabilitystability evaluation |
spellingShingle | Yandi She Xilai Li Chengyi Li Pengnian Yang Zihan Song Jing Zhang Relationship between Species Diversity and Community Stability in Degraded Alpine Meadows during Bare Patch Succession Plants succession patchily degraded alpine meadow species diversity community stability stability evaluation |
title | Relationship between Species Diversity and Community Stability in Degraded Alpine Meadows during Bare Patch Succession |
title_full | Relationship between Species Diversity and Community Stability in Degraded Alpine Meadows during Bare Patch Succession |
title_fullStr | Relationship between Species Diversity and Community Stability in Degraded Alpine Meadows during Bare Patch Succession |
title_full_unstemmed | Relationship between Species Diversity and Community Stability in Degraded Alpine Meadows during Bare Patch Succession |
title_short | Relationship between Species Diversity and Community Stability in Degraded Alpine Meadows during Bare Patch Succession |
title_sort | relationship between species diversity and community stability in degraded alpine meadows during bare patch succession |
topic | succession patchily degraded alpine meadow species diversity community stability stability evaluation |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/20/3582 |
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