Intensification of disturbance destabilizes productivity through effects on dominant species
Disturbances, including anthropogenic disturbances, are integral to the maintenance of grassland ecosystems. Most research on anthropogenic disturbances focuses on the effects of intensification, yet cessation of disturbance can have equally important effects on grassland biodiversity and ecosystem...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Ecological Indicators |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X22008561 |
| _version_ | 1828404816223666176 |
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| author | Feng Zhang Jonathan A. Bennett Bin Zhang Mengli Zhao Guodong Han |
| author_facet | Feng Zhang Jonathan A. Bennett Bin Zhang Mengli Zhao Guodong Han |
| author_sort | Feng Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Disturbances, including anthropogenic disturbances, are integral to the maintenance of grassland ecosystems. Most research on anthropogenic disturbances focuses on the effects of intensification, yet cessation of disturbance can have equally important effects on grassland biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Natural disturbances have largely been replaced by anthropogenic disturbance, which has pronounced effects on community function and structure in grassland ecosystems. It is still unclear how changing disturbance intensity affects community stability and its mechanisms. We examined the temporal stability of above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) in a seven-year field mowing experiment which included normal disturbance (control, mowing annually at 5 cm stubble height), increasing disturbance (mowing annually at 2 cm stubble height) and ceasing disturbance (no mowing) in a typical steppe in Inner Mongolia. Overall, ceasing disturbance increased ANPP of whole community but increasing disturbance had no significant effect on community ANPP, which was driven by ANPP of dominant species; and species richness and asynchrony were independent of changing disturbance. Despite having no effect on species richness, both intensification and cessation of disturbance destabilized plant community productivity, primarily through effects on the stability of the dominant species. This highlights the importance of dominant species in driving community dynamics. Maintaining disturbance intensity is an appropriate strategy to maintain hay production and community stability in typical steppe in Inner Mongolia, and may be beneficial to the development of sustainable utilization of grassland and may ensure the income of resident population. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T10:42:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e2625e189b43413ea53abfe12fea7e1b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1470-160X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T10:42:22Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Indicators |
| spelling | doaj.art-e2625e189b43413ea53abfe12fea7e1b2022-12-22T01:52:16ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2022-10-01143109383Intensification of disturbance destabilizes productivity through effects on dominant speciesFeng Zhang0Jonathan A. Bennett1Bin Zhang2Mengli Zhao3Guodong Han4Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources of the Ministry of Education, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010011, ChinaDepartment of Plant Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon S7N5A8, SK, CanadaKey Laboratory of Grassland Resources of the Ministry of Education, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010011, China; Corresponding authors.Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources of the Ministry of Education, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010011, China; Corresponding authors.Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources of the Ministry of Education, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010011, ChinaDisturbances, including anthropogenic disturbances, are integral to the maintenance of grassland ecosystems. Most research on anthropogenic disturbances focuses on the effects of intensification, yet cessation of disturbance can have equally important effects on grassland biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Natural disturbances have largely been replaced by anthropogenic disturbance, which has pronounced effects on community function and structure in grassland ecosystems. It is still unclear how changing disturbance intensity affects community stability and its mechanisms. We examined the temporal stability of above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) in a seven-year field mowing experiment which included normal disturbance (control, mowing annually at 5 cm stubble height), increasing disturbance (mowing annually at 2 cm stubble height) and ceasing disturbance (no mowing) in a typical steppe in Inner Mongolia. Overall, ceasing disturbance increased ANPP of whole community but increasing disturbance had no significant effect on community ANPP, which was driven by ANPP of dominant species; and species richness and asynchrony were independent of changing disturbance. Despite having no effect on species richness, both intensification and cessation of disturbance destabilized plant community productivity, primarily through effects on the stability of the dominant species. This highlights the importance of dominant species in driving community dynamics. Maintaining disturbance intensity is an appropriate strategy to maintain hay production and community stability in typical steppe in Inner Mongolia, and may be beneficial to the development of sustainable utilization of grassland and may ensure the income of resident population.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X22008561Typical steppeChanging disturbanceTemporal stabilitySpecies richnessSpecies asynchronyDominant species stability |
| spellingShingle | Feng Zhang Jonathan A. Bennett Bin Zhang Mengli Zhao Guodong Han Intensification of disturbance destabilizes productivity through effects on dominant species Ecological Indicators Typical steppe Changing disturbance Temporal stability Species richness Species asynchrony Dominant species stability |
| title | Intensification of disturbance destabilizes productivity through effects on dominant species |
| title_full | Intensification of disturbance destabilizes productivity through effects on dominant species |
| title_fullStr | Intensification of disturbance destabilizes productivity through effects on dominant species |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intensification of disturbance destabilizes productivity through effects on dominant species |
| title_short | Intensification of disturbance destabilizes productivity through effects on dominant species |
| title_sort | intensification of disturbance destabilizes productivity through effects on dominant species |
| topic | Typical steppe Changing disturbance Temporal stability Species richness Species asynchrony Dominant species stability |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X22008561 |
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