Canopy structure: An intermediate factor regulating grassland diversity-function relationships under human disturbances
Grasslands are one of the largest coupled human-nature terrestrial ecosystems on Earth, and severe anthropogenic-induced grassland ecosystem function declines have been reported recently. Understanding factors influencing grassland ecosystem functions is critical for making sustainable management po...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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KeAi Communications Co. Ltd.
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Fundamental Research |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667325822004198 |
| _version_ | 1811160177898946560 |
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| author | Xiaoxia Zhao Yuhao Feng Kexin Xu Mengqi Cao Shuya Hu Qiuli Yang Xiaoqiang Liu Qin Ma Tianyu Hu Maggi Kelly Qinghua Guo Yanjun Su |
| author_facet | Xiaoxia Zhao Yuhao Feng Kexin Xu Mengqi Cao Shuya Hu Qiuli Yang Xiaoqiang Liu Qin Ma Tianyu Hu Maggi Kelly Qinghua Guo Yanjun Su |
| author_sort | Xiaoxia Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Grasslands are one of the largest coupled human-nature terrestrial ecosystems on Earth, and severe anthropogenic-induced grassland ecosystem function declines have been reported recently. Understanding factors influencing grassland ecosystem functions is critical for making sustainable management policies. Canopy structure is an important factor influencing plant growth through mediating within-canopy microclimate (e.g., light, water, and wind), and it is found coordinating tightly with plant species diversity to influence forest ecosystem functions. However, the role of canopy structure in regulating grassland ecosystem functions along with plant species diversity has been rarely investigated. Here, we investigated this problem by collecting field data from 170 field plots distributed along an over 2000 km transect across the northern agro-pastoral ecotone of China. Aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and resilience, two indicators of grassland ecosystem functions, were measured from field data and satellite remote sensing data. Terrestrial laser scanning data were collected to measure canopy structure (represented by mean height and canopy cover). Our results showed that plant species diversity was positively correlated to canopy structural traits, and negatively correlated to human activity intensity. Canopy structure was a significant indicator for ANPP and resilience, but their correlations were inconsistent under different human activity intensity levels. Compared to plant species diversity, canopy structural traits were better indicators for grassland ecosystem functions, especially for ANPP. Through structure equation modeling analyses, we found that plant species diversity did not have a direct influence on ANPP under human disturbances. Instead, it had a strong indirect effect on ANPP by altering canopy structural traits. As to resilience, plant species diversity had both a direct positive contribution and an indirect contribution through mediating canopy cover. This study highlights that canopy structure is an important intermediate factor regulating grassland diversity-function relationships under human disturbances, which should be included in future grassland monitoring and management. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:53:12Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2667-3258 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:53:12Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co. Ltd. |
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| series | Fundamental Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-bc13874f90454c159555f8215c9af38d2023-03-04T04:24:13ZengKeAi Communications Co. Ltd.Fundamental Research2667-32582023-03-0132179187Canopy structure: An intermediate factor regulating grassland diversity-function relationships under human disturbancesXiaoxia Zhao0Yuhao Feng1Kexin Xu2Mengqi Cao3Shuya Hu4Qiuli Yang5Xiaoqiang Liu6Qin Ma7Tianyu Hu8Maggi Kelly9Qinghua Guo10Yanjun Su11State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaInstitute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, ChinaPatent Examination Cooperation Sichuan Center of the Patent Office, China National Intellectual Property Administration, Chengdu, Sichuan 610213, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States; Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, United StatesInstitute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Institute of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Corresponding author.Grasslands are one of the largest coupled human-nature terrestrial ecosystems on Earth, and severe anthropogenic-induced grassland ecosystem function declines have been reported recently. Understanding factors influencing grassland ecosystem functions is critical for making sustainable management policies. Canopy structure is an important factor influencing plant growth through mediating within-canopy microclimate (e.g., light, water, and wind), and it is found coordinating tightly with plant species diversity to influence forest ecosystem functions. However, the role of canopy structure in regulating grassland ecosystem functions along with plant species diversity has been rarely investigated. Here, we investigated this problem by collecting field data from 170 field plots distributed along an over 2000 km transect across the northern agro-pastoral ecotone of China. Aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and resilience, two indicators of grassland ecosystem functions, were measured from field data and satellite remote sensing data. Terrestrial laser scanning data were collected to measure canopy structure (represented by mean height and canopy cover). Our results showed that plant species diversity was positively correlated to canopy structural traits, and negatively correlated to human activity intensity. Canopy structure was a significant indicator for ANPP and resilience, but their correlations were inconsistent under different human activity intensity levels. Compared to plant species diversity, canopy structural traits were better indicators for grassland ecosystem functions, especially for ANPP. Through structure equation modeling analyses, we found that plant species diversity did not have a direct influence on ANPP under human disturbances. Instead, it had a strong indirect effect on ANPP by altering canopy structural traits. As to resilience, plant species diversity had both a direct positive contribution and an indirect contribution through mediating canopy cover. This study highlights that canopy structure is an important intermediate factor regulating grassland diversity-function relationships under human disturbances, which should be included in future grassland monitoring and management.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667325822004198Grassland ecosystem functionCanopy structurePlant species diversityHuman activity intensityNorthern agro-pastoral ecotone |
| spellingShingle | Xiaoxia Zhao Yuhao Feng Kexin Xu Mengqi Cao Shuya Hu Qiuli Yang Xiaoqiang Liu Qin Ma Tianyu Hu Maggi Kelly Qinghua Guo Yanjun Su Canopy structure: An intermediate factor regulating grassland diversity-function relationships under human disturbances Fundamental Research Grassland ecosystem function Canopy structure Plant species diversity Human activity intensity Northern agro-pastoral ecotone |
| title | Canopy structure: An intermediate factor regulating grassland diversity-function relationships under human disturbances |
| title_full | Canopy structure: An intermediate factor regulating grassland diversity-function relationships under human disturbances |
| title_fullStr | Canopy structure: An intermediate factor regulating grassland diversity-function relationships under human disturbances |
| title_full_unstemmed | Canopy structure: An intermediate factor regulating grassland diversity-function relationships under human disturbances |
| title_short | Canopy structure: An intermediate factor regulating grassland diversity-function relationships under human disturbances |
| title_sort | canopy structure an intermediate factor regulating grassland diversity function relationships under human disturbances |
| topic | Grassland ecosystem function Canopy structure Plant species diversity Human activity intensity Northern agro-pastoral ecotone |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667325822004198 |
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