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HERO ID
3286860
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
Nitrogen enrichment weakens ecosystem stability through decreased species asynchrony and population stability in a temperate grassland
Author(s)
Zhang, Y; Loreau, M; Lu, X; He, N; Zhang, G; Han, X
Year
2016
Is Peer Reviewed?
Yes
Journal
Global Change Biology
ISSN:
1354-1013
EISSN:
1365-2486
Volume
22
Issue
4
Page Numbers
1445-1455
Language
English
PMID
26511538
DOI
10.1111/gcb.13140
Web of Science Id
WOS:000371515300011
Abstract
Biodiversity generally promotes ecosystem stability. To assess whether the diversity-stability relationship observed under ambient nitrogen (N) conditions still holds under N enriched conditions, we designed a 6-year field experiment to test whether the magnitude and frequency of N enrichment affects ecosystem stability and its relationship with species diversity in a temperate grassland. Results of this experiment showed that the frequency of N addition had no effect on either the temporal stability of ecosystem and population or the relationship between diversity and stability. Nitrogen addition decreased ecosystem stability significantly through decreases in species asynchrony and population stability. Species richness was positively associated with ecosystem stability, but no significant relationship between diversity and the residuals of ecosystem stability was detected after controlling for the effects of the magnitude of N addition, suggesting collinearity between the effects of N addition and species richness on ecosystem stability, with the former prevailing over the latter. Both population stability and the residuals of population stability after controlling for the effects of the magnitude of N addition were positively associated with ecosystem stability, indicating that the stabilizing effects of component populations were still present after N enrichment. Our study supports the theory predicting that the effects of environmental factors on ecosystem functioning are stronger than those of biodiversity. Understanding such mechanisms is important and urgent to protect biodiversity in mediating ecosystem functioning and services in the face of global changes.
Keywords
asynchrony; biodiversity; community stability; complementarity; insurance hypothesis; nitrogen addition frequency; nitrogen deposition; portfolio effect; species stability
Tags
NAAQS
•
ISA NOxSOxPM Ecology (2018)
Cited in the Second Draft
Appendix 6
•
ISA NOxSOxPM Ecology (2020- Final Project Page)
Cited
Appendix 6
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