Open AccessDifferential roles of species richness versus species asynchrony in regulating community stability along a precipitation gradient
Author(s) -
Chi Yonggang,
Xu Zhuwen,
Zhou Lei,
Yang Qingpeng,
Zheng Shuxia,
Li Shaopeng
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
ecology and evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.17
H-Index - 63
ISSN - 2045-7758
DOI - 10.1002/ece3.5857
Subject(s) - species richness , ecology , abiotic component , precipitation , asynchrony (computer programming) , primary production , ecosystem , community structure , environmental gradient , plant community , environmental science , ecological stability , transect , biology , geography , habitat , asynchronous communication , computer network , meteorology , computer science
Plant community may provide products and services to humans. However, patterns and drivers of community stability along a precipitation gradient remain unclear. A regional‐scale transect survey was conducted over a 3‐year period from 2013 to 2015, along a precipitation gradient from 275 to 555 mm and spanning 440 km in length from west to east in a temperate semiarid grassland of northern China, a central part of the Eurasian steppe. Our study provided regional‐scale evidence that the community stability increased with increasing precipitation in the semiarid ecosystem. The patterns of community stability along a precipitation gradient were ascribed to community composition and community dynamics, such as species richness and species asynchrony, rather than the abiotic effect of precipitation. Species richness regulated the temporal mean ( μ ) of aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), while species asynchrony regulated the temporal standard deviation ( σ ) of ANPP, which in turn contributed to community stability. Our findings highlight the crucial role of community composition and community dynamics in regulating community stability under climate change.