Relationship between plant functional diversity and ecosystem multifunctionality in Bayanbulak alpine meadow along an altitude gradient

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2022.0195

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function is one of the hotspots in ecological research. In the past, the research on the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function only focused on the experimental or observational investigation of single ecosystem function (SEF), ignoring the most essential value that ecosystem can provide multiple functions and services at the same time. Identifying the relationship between plant functional diversity and ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) can provide a clear understanding of changes in ecosystem function.

Methods In this study, Bayanbulak alpine meadow was taken as the study area, and five altitude sites were set at an interval of 200 m from 2 194 to 3 062 m above sea level. Soil total nitrogen content, nitrate nitrogen content, ammonium nitrogen content, total phosphorus content, available phosphorus content, total potassium content, available potassium content, soil density, aboveground and underground biomass of plant community were selected to characterize EMF, which were closely related to nutrient cycling, soil organic carbon accumulation and plant growth.

Important findings (1) The species composition of the plant community varied greatly along the altitude gradient, and the species richness at the altitude of 2 600 m was significantly higher than that at the other altitudes. Functional evenness index (FEve), functional richness index (FRic) and functional dispersion index (FDis) all showed a “single peak” trend with the rise of altitude, and the highest values were found at 2 600, 2 800 and 2 800 m, respectively. Rao’ quadratic entropy (Rao’Q) showed a monotonically decreasing trend. (2) FRic and FDis at each altitude were positively correlated with soil EMF, which accounted for 47% and 43% of the variation in EMF, respectively. FEve was significantly correlated with nutrient cycling index and soil organic carbon storage index at the altitude of 2 600 m. Rao’Q at 3 000 m was significantly correlated with soil nutrient cycling index, organic carbon storage and EMF. The relationship between plant functional diversity and EMF along the altitude gradient was analyzed by constructing a structural equation model, which showed that altitude could exert impacts on EMF through changing functional diversity, with the greatest effect of functional richness on EMF. In conclusion, with the alteration of altitude, the functional diversity may result in changes, thereby affect the SEF and EMF, and the functional diversity is important to maintain the EMF.

Key words: functional diversity, ecosystem multifunctional, single ecosystem function, altitude, alpine meadow

LÜ Zi-Li, LIU Bin, CHANG Feng, MA Zi-Jing, CAO Qiu-Mei. Relationship between plant functional diversity and ecosystem multifunctionality in Bayanbulak alpine meadow along an altitude gradient[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2023, 47(6): 822-832.

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Figures/Tables 8

References 30

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编号 Plot No.	海拔 Altitude (m)	经度 Longitude (° E)	纬度 Latitude (° N)	坡向 Aspect	坡度 Slope (°)
2200-1	2 194.12	83.86	42.35	阳坡 Sunny slope	13.2
2200-2	2 203.71	83.86	42.34	阳坡 Sunny slope	3.1
2200-3	2 210.63	83.85	42.34	阳坡 Sunny slope	5.4
2400-1	2 406.20	83.53	42.68	阳坡 Sunny slope	7.2
2400-2	2 400.90	83.53	42.68	阳坡 Sunny slope	12.1
2400-3	2 415.20	84.39	43.05	阳坡 Sunny slope	10.7
2600-1	2 590.42	84.05	43.05	阳坡 Sunny slope	7.9
2600-2	2 602.60	82.97	42.86	阳坡 Sunny slope	9.4
2600-3	2 597.20	84.05	42.85	阳坡 Sunny slope	6.7
2800-1	2 794.62	82.99	42.86	阳坡 Sunny slope	3.9
2800-2	2 817.50	82.99	42.87	阳坡 Sunny slope	8.4
2800-3	2 802.00	82.97	42.87	阳坡 Sunny slope	17.5
3000-1	3 052.70	83.47	42.51	阳坡 Sunny slope	10.6
3000-2	3 062.10	83.47	42.51	阳坡 Sunny slope	9.5
3000-3	3 004.12	83.03	42.51	阳坡 Sunny slope	7.7

编号 Plot No.	海拔 Altitude (m)	经度 Longitude (° E)	纬度 Latitude (° N)	坡向 Aspect	坡度 Slope (°)
2200-1	2 194.12	83.86	42.35	阳坡 Sunny slope	13.2
2200-2	2 203.71	83.86	42.34	阳坡 Sunny slope	3.1
2200-3	2 210.63	83.85	42.34	阳坡 Sunny slope	5.4
2400-1	2 406.20	83.53	42.68	阳坡 Sunny slope	7.2
2400-2	2 400.90	83.53	42.68	阳坡 Sunny slope	12.1
2400-3	2 415.20	84.39	43.05	阳坡 Sunny slope	10.7
2600-1	2 590.42	84.05	43.05	阳坡 Sunny slope	7.9
2600-2	2 602.60	82.97	42.86	阳坡 Sunny slope	9.4
2600-3	2 597.20	84.05	42.85	阳坡 Sunny slope	6.7
2800-1	2 794.62	82.99	42.86	阳坡 Sunny slope	3.9
2800-2	2 817.50	82.99	42.87	阳坡 Sunny slope	8.4
2800-3	2 802.00	82.97	42.87	阳坡 Sunny slope	17.5
3000-1	3 052.70	83.47	42.51	阳坡 Sunny slope	10.6
3000-2	3 062.10	83.47	42.51	阳坡 Sunny slope	9.5
3000-3	3 004.12	83.03	42.51	阳坡 Sunny slope	7.7

海拔 Altitude (m)	物种丰富度 (平均值±标准差) Specie richness (mean ± SD)	优势种(重要值) Dominant species (importance value)
2 200	15.00 ± 2.00^a	薹草 Carex sp. (0.212 5)
2 200	15.00 ± 2.00^a	线叶嵩草 Kobresia capillifolia (0.187 5)
2 400	14.49 ± 2.33^ab	丘陵老鹳草 Geranium collinum (0.212 2)
2 400	14.49 ± 2.33^ab	线叶嵩草 Kobresia capillifolia (0.186 3)
2 600	16.13 ± 3.14^ab	线叶嵩草 Kobresia capillifolia (0.251 6)
2 600	16.13 ± 3.14^ab	薹草 Carex sp. (0.145 8)
2 800	15.17 ± 1.47^a	珠芽蓼 Polygonum viviparum (0.276 5)
2 800	15.17 ± 1.47^a	针茅 Stipa sp. (0.266 0)
3 000	12.25 ± 2.87^b	珠芽蓼 Polygonum viviparum (0.349 0)
3 000	12.25 ± 2.87^b	丘陵老鹳草 Geranium collinum (0.188 1)

海拔 Altitude (m)	物种丰富度 (平均值±标准差) Specie richness (mean ± SD)	优势种(重要值) Dominant species (importance value)
2 200	15.00 ± 2.00^a	薹草 Carex sp. (0.212 5)
2 200	15.00 ± 2.00^a	线叶嵩草 Kobresia capillifolia (0.187 5)
2 400	14.49 ± 2.33^ab	丘陵老鹳草 Geranium collinum (0.212 2)
2 400	14.49 ± 2.33^ab	线叶嵩草 Kobresia capillifolia (0.186 3)
2 600	16.13 ± 3.14^ab	线叶嵩草 Kobresia capillifolia (0.251 6)
2 600	16.13 ± 3.14^ab	薹草 Carex sp. (0.145 8)
2 800	15.17 ± 1.47^a	珠芽蓼 Polygonum viviparum (0.276 5)
2 800	15.17 ± 1.47^a	针茅 Stipa sp. (0.266 0)
3 000	12.25 ± 2.87^b	珠芽蓼 Polygonum viviparum (0.349 0)
3 000	12.25 ± 2.87^b	丘陵老鹳草 Geranium collinum (0.188 1)

海拔 (m) Altitude	生态系统功能指数 Ecosystem function index	功能多样性指数 Functional diversity index
海拔 (m) Altitude	生态系统功能指数 Ecosystem function index	FRic	FDis	FEve	Rao’Q
2 200	EMF	0.025 0^*	0.882 9^*	0.139 4	0.352 2^*
	植物生长 Plant growth	0.984 9^*	0.947 7^*	0.904 3	-0.705 4
	养分循环 Nutrient cycling	0.852 0^*	0.638 2^*	0.890 6	-0.707 8
	有机碳蓄积 Soil carbon stock	0.918 4^***	0.820 7^*	0.934 5	-0.577 2
2 400	EMF	0.957 3^**	0.926 7^*	-0.280 9	0.162 8
	植物生长 Plant growth	0.938 5^***	0.843 0^***	-0.248 2	0.201 0
	养分循环 Nutrient cycling	0.867 3^***	0.968 4^***	-0.323 6	0.011 4
	有机碳蓄积 Soil carbon stock	-0.568 1^*	-0.642 5^**	-0.186 3	0.137 0
2 600	EMF	0.080 7^*	0.244 9	0.265 8	0.152 0
	植物生长 Plant growth	0.099 7^*	0.004 5	-0.100 6	0.176 0
	养分循环 Nutrient cycling	0.168 0	0.078 8^**	0.262 3^**	0.184 9
	有机碳蓄积 Soil carbon stock	0.171 4^**	0.080 3^*	0.257 2^*	0.268 7
2 800	EMF	0.585 7^**	0.222 7	0.373 7	-0.449 0
	植物生长 Plant growth	0.345 3	0.194 2	-0.004 2	-0.238 8
	养分循环 Nutrient cycling	0.961 4^***	0.504 5	0.203 5	-0.161 9
	有机碳蓄积 Soil carbon stock	0.523 5^*	0.220 6	0.495 6	-0.486 0
3 000	EMF	0.868 2^*	0.918 5^*	-0.044 4	0.695 3^*
	植物生长 Plant growth	0.952 1^**	0.975 1^***	0.054 0	0.690 9
	养分循环 Nutrient cycling	0.782 2^**	0.838 6^***	-0.267 6	0.668 2^**
	有机碳蓄积 Soil carbon stock	0.856 8^*	0.927 4^**	0.005 6	0.734 5^**