Effects of short- and long-term plant functional group loss on alpine meadow community structure and soil nutrients.

ABSTRACT: The rapid loss of global biodiversity can greatly affect the normal functioning of ecosystems. However, how biodiversity losses affect plant community structure and soil nutrients is unclear. We conducted a field experiment to examine the short- and long-term effects of removing plant functional groups (Gramineae, Cyperaceae, legumes, and forbs) on the interrelationships among the species diversity, productivity, community structure, and soil nutrients in an alpine meadow ecosystem at Menyuan County, Qinghai Province. The variations in the species richness, above- and belowground biomass of the community gradually decreased over time. Species richness and productivity were positively correlated, and this correlation tended to be increasingly significant over time. Removal of the Cyperaceae

SUBMITTER: Wei J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10928257 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature