干旱区研究

Arid Zone Research >

2023 , Vol. 40 >Issue 6: 958 - 970

DOI: https://doi.org/10.13866/j.azr.2023.06.11

Plant Ecology

Nutrient addition and disturbance effects on the community composition and assembly in a desert steppe

  • Jingjuan QIAO ,
  • Xiao’an ZUO ,
  • Ping YUE ,
  • Guolin WANG ,
  • Jingyuan WANG ,
  • Zezhou WANG
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  • 1. Urat Desert-Grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
    2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
    3. Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
    4. Urat Rear Banner Management Station, Mongolian Wild Donkey National Nature Reserve, Urat 015500, Inner Mongolia, China

Received date: 2022-10-01

  Revised date: 2023-03-06

  Online published: 2023-06-21

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Abstract

The effects of short-term nutrient additions (NPKμ, 10 g·m-2) and disturbances on the species diversity, functional traits, soil properties, and community assembly mechanisms of the herbaceous community in the Urat desert steppe were examined. A mixed linear model, principal component analysis, and null model methods were utilized and both disturbance and interaction treatments were found to significantly reduce species richness and β diversity. Short-term nutrient additions significantly reduced soil pH but increased soil electrical conductivity. Six functional traits of the dominant species (i.e. Stipa glareosa, Peganum harmala, Salsola collina, Corispermum mongolicum) and six community-weighted mean significant changes under the disturbance and nutrient addition treatments were identified. The disturbance and nutrient additions promoted the transformation of the dominant species in the community from conservative strategies to acquisitive strategies. The results of the two null models revealed that community assembly under the control tended to be a stochastic process, while the disturbance and interaction treatments tended to be deterministic processes, and that of the nutrient addition treatments tended to be weaker deterministic processes. Plant communities in the desert steppe responded and adapted to the nutrient additions and disturbances through changes in the dominant species and their crucial functional traits.

Key words： desert steppe; nutrient addition; disturbance; species diversity; functional diversity; community assembly

Cite this article

Jingjuan QIAO , Xiao’an ZUO , Ping YUE , Guolin WANG , Jingyuan WANG , Zezhou WANG . Nutrient addition and disturbance effects on the community composition and assembly in a desert steppe[J]. Arid Zone Research, 2023 , 40(6) : 958 -970 . DOI: 10.13866/j.azr.2023.06.11

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