Relationship Between Species Diversity and Community Stability of Vegetation Patches in <i>Thymus mongolicus</i> Steppe, China
Grassland ecosystems play a crucial role in sustaining the stability of global ecosystem functions. However, the plant communities of grasslands exhibit spatially heterogeneous stability patterns such as vegetation patches influenced by human disturbances, herbivore activities, and climatic and topo...
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| author | Hui Wang Mengyue Zheng Honglin Xin Bo Han Hongju Jia Fei Wu Yunna Wu Jing Ma Yantao Song |
| author_facet | Hui Wang Mengyue Zheng Honglin Xin Bo Han Hongju Jia Fei Wu Yunna Wu Jing Ma Yantao Song |
| author_sort | Hui Wang |
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| description | Grassland ecosystems play a crucial role in sustaining the stability of global ecosystem functions. However, the plant communities of grasslands exhibit spatially heterogeneous stability patterns such as vegetation patches influenced by human disturbances, herbivore activities, and climatic and topographic factors. This study investigated the vegetation dynamics in the <i>Thymus mongolicus</i> steppe in Bairin Right Banner, Inner Mongolia, analyzing the structural characteristics, species diversity, and community stability across six vegetation patches. Our findings revealed that patches dominated by grasses exhibited the highest values in coverage, height, density, and aboveground biomass. Besides, species diversity indices were highest in <i>Achnatherum splendens</i> patches and <i>Festuca litvinovii</i> patches, followed by <i>Thymus mongolicus</i> communities and <i>Leymus chinensis</i> patches, while the lowest diversity indices were observed in <i>Artemisia frigida</i> patches and <i>Convolvulus ammannii</i> patches. The order of community stability from high to low was <i>Leymus chinensis</i> patches, <i>Festuca litvinovii</i> patches, <i>Achnatherum splendens</i> patches, <i>Convolvulus ammannii</i> patches, <i>Artemisia frigida</i> patches, and <i>Thymus mongolicus</i> communities. Both the Patrick richness index and Margalef index showed a significant positive correlation with community stability (<i>p</i> < 0.05), indicating that plant communities with a higher species diversity tend to be more stable. These results emphasize the critical role of plant diversity in mediating community stability and contribute to the development of more effective grassland conservation and restoration strategies to maintain the health and sustainability of grassland ecosystems. |
| format | Article |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj-art-8e38fcd381134d579ad21080b8a3e7c52025-08-20T02:18:15ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-04-01148123710.3390/plants14081237Relationship Between Species Diversity and Community Stability of Vegetation Patches in <i>Thymus mongolicus</i> Steppe, ChinaHui Wang0Mengyue Zheng1Honglin Xin2Bo Han3Hongju Jia4Fei Wu5Yunna Wu6Jing Ma7Yantao Song8College of Environmental and Resource, Dalian Minzu University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian 116600, ChinaCollege of Environmental and Resource, Dalian Minzu University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian 116600, ChinaCollege of Environmental and Resource, Dalian Minzu University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian 116600, ChinaCollege of Environmental and Resource, Dalian Minzu University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian 116600, ChinaCollege of Environmental and Resource, Dalian Minzu University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian 116600, ChinaCollege of Environmental and Resource, Dalian Minzu University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian 116600, ChinaCollege of Environmental and Resource, Dalian Minzu University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian 116600, ChinaBairin Right Banner Forestry and Grassland Bureau, Bairin Right Banner, Chifeng 025150, ChinaCollege of Environmental and Resource, Dalian Minzu University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian 116600, ChinaGrassland ecosystems play a crucial role in sustaining the stability of global ecosystem functions. However, the plant communities of grasslands exhibit spatially heterogeneous stability patterns such as vegetation patches influenced by human disturbances, herbivore activities, and climatic and topographic factors. This study investigated the vegetation dynamics in the <i>Thymus mongolicus</i> steppe in Bairin Right Banner, Inner Mongolia, analyzing the structural characteristics, species diversity, and community stability across six vegetation patches. Our findings revealed that patches dominated by grasses exhibited the highest values in coverage, height, density, and aboveground biomass. Besides, species diversity indices were highest in <i>Achnatherum splendens</i> patches and <i>Festuca litvinovii</i> patches, followed by <i>Thymus mongolicus</i> communities and <i>Leymus chinensis</i> patches, while the lowest diversity indices were observed in <i>Artemisia frigida</i> patches and <i>Convolvulus ammannii</i> patches. The order of community stability from high to low was <i>Leymus chinensis</i> patches, <i>Festuca litvinovii</i> patches, <i>Achnatherum splendens</i> patches, <i>Convolvulus ammannii</i> patches, <i>Artemisia frigida</i> patches, and <i>Thymus mongolicus</i> communities. Both the Patrick richness index and Margalef index showed a significant positive correlation with community stability (<i>p</i> < 0.05), indicating that plant communities with a higher species diversity tend to be more stable. These results emphasize the critical role of plant diversity in mediating community stability and contribute to the development of more effective grassland conservation and restoration strategies to maintain the health and sustainability of grassland ecosystems.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/8/1237<i>Thymus mongolicus</i> steppevegetation patchesspecies diversitycommunity stabilitygrassland degradationdiversity–stability relationship |
| spellingShingle | Hui Wang Mengyue Zheng Honglin Xin Bo Han Hongju Jia Fei Wu Yunna Wu Jing Ma Yantao Song Relationship Between Species Diversity and Community Stability of Vegetation Patches in <i>Thymus mongolicus</i> Steppe, China Plants <i>Thymus mongolicus</i> steppe vegetation patches species diversity community stability grassland degradation diversity–stability relationship |
| title | Relationship Between Species Diversity and Community Stability of Vegetation Patches in <i>Thymus mongolicus</i> Steppe, China |
| title_full | Relationship Between Species Diversity and Community Stability of Vegetation Patches in <i>Thymus mongolicus</i> Steppe, China |
| title_fullStr | Relationship Between Species Diversity and Community Stability of Vegetation Patches in <i>Thymus mongolicus</i> Steppe, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationship Between Species Diversity and Community Stability of Vegetation Patches in <i>Thymus mongolicus</i> Steppe, China |
| title_short | Relationship Between Species Diversity and Community Stability of Vegetation Patches in <i>Thymus mongolicus</i> Steppe, China |
| title_sort | relationship between species diversity and community stability of vegetation patches in i thymus mongolicus i steppe china |
| topic | <i>Thymus mongolicus</i> steppe vegetation patches species diversity community stability grassland degradation diversity–stability relationship |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/8/1237 |
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