Habitat Diversity Sustains Ecosystem Functioning in Plateau Arid-Region Wetlands.

ABSTRACT: Plateau arid-region wetlands constitute critical ecosystems for regional ecological security, yet exhibit heightened vulnerability under multiple stressors. Current understanding of the mechanisms sustaining the functions of these systems, particularly the pivotal role of habitat diversity, remains limited. Targeting the Jinzihai Wetland (Qaidam Basin, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau), we integrated metagenomic and geochemical profiling to characterize three representative habitats: sandy meadows, peat bogs, and lake sediments. Our analyses revealed that pronounced cross-habitat physicochemical gradients drive community structure differentiation predominantly through species replacement, establishing habitat diversity as a fundamental driver of wetland biodiversity. Concurrently, community different

SUBMITTER: Wang C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12711441 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature