Environmental conditions are the dominant factor influencing stability of terrestrial ecosystems on the Tibetan plateau

Liang Ren; Jiaxuan Huo; Xiang Xiang; Yingping Pan; Yuanqiao Li; Yuanyuan Wang; Dehui Meng; Cheng Yu; Yang Chen; Zichao Xu; Yongmei Huang

doi:10.1038/s43247-023-00849-8

Communications Earth & Environment (May 2023)

Environmental conditions are the dominant factor influencing stability of terrestrial ecosystems on the Tibetan plateau

Liang Ren,
Jiaxuan Huo,
Xiang Xiang,
Yingping Pan,
Yuanqiao Li,
Yuanyuan Wang,
Dehui Meng,
Cheng Yu,
Yang Chen,
Zichao Xu,
Yongmei Huang

Affiliations

Liang Ren: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Faculty of Geographical Science
Jiaxuan Huo: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Faculty of Geographical Science
Xiang Xiang: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Faculty of Geographical Science
Yingping Pan: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Faculty of Geographical Science
Yuanqiao Li: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Faculty of Geographical Science
Yuanyuan Wang: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Faculty of Geographical Science
Dehui Meng: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Faculty of Geographical Science
Cheng Yu: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Faculty of Geographical Science
Yang Chen: Institute of Remote Sensing Science and Engineering, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University
Zichao Xu: School of Resources and Environment, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Yongmei Huang: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Faculty of Geographical Science

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00849-8
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 4, no. 1
pp. 1 – 11

Abstract

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Abstract Ecosystem stability is essential for the sustainable provision of diverse ecosystem services. However, the factors that maintain ecosystem stability and their relative importance on the Tibetan Plateau, a region sensitive to climate change, remain unclear. Here, we combined data from ground-based biodiversity surveys at 143 sites from 2019 to 2021 with the temporal stability of ecosystems derived from remote sensing data from 2000 to 2020 to disentangle mechanisms of diversity–stability relationships. We further quantified the impact of biodiversity (taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity) and environmental context (spatial location, climate, and soil conditions) on temporal stability. Our results show that the stability of a typical ecosystem on the Tibetan Plateau is mainly regulated by environmental factors, and the environmental context can directly affect the stability of the ecosystem rather than indirectly through biodiversity. These findings are critical for adaptation measures and prioritizing conservation areas for future climate change scenarios.

Published in Communications Earth & Environment

ISSN: 2662-4435 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Geology; Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences
Website: https://www.nature.com/commsenv/

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