Data from: Scale dependence of the diversity–stability relationship in a temperate grassland

1. A positive relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem stability
has been reported in many ecosystems; however, it has yet to be determined
whether and how spatial scale affects this relationship. Here, for the
first time, we assessed the effects of alpha, beta and gamma diversity on
ecosystem stability and the scale dependence of the slope of the
diversity–stability relationship. 2. By employing a long-term (33 years)
dataset from a temperate grassland, northern China, we calculated the all
possible spatial scales with the complete combination from the basic 1-m2
plots. 3. Species richness was positively associated with ecosystem
stability through species asynchrony and overyielding at all spatial
scales (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 m2). Both alpha and beta diversity were
positively associated with gamma stability. 4. Moreover, the slope of the
diversity–area relationship was significantly higher than that of the
stability–area relationship, resulting in a decline of the slope of the
diversity–stability relationship with increasing area. 5. Synthesis. With
the positive species diversity effect on ecosystem stability from small to
large spatial scales, our findings demonstrate the need to maintain a high
biodiversity and biotic heterogeneity as insurance against the risks
incurred by ecosystems in the face of global environmental changes.

1. 诸多生态系统中均已报道生物多样性（biodiversity）与生态系统稳定性（ecosystem stability）间存在正相关关系，但目前仍未明确空间尺度（spatial scale）是否以及如何影响这一关系。本研究首次评估了α多样性（alpha diversity）、β多样性（beta diversity）与γ多样性（gamma diversity）对生态系统稳定性的影响，以及多样性-稳定性关系（diversity–stability relationship）斜率的尺度依赖性。
2. 本研究依托中国北方温带草原（temperate grassland）的长期（33年）监测数据集，通过基础1平方米（1-m²）样地的全部组合方式，构建了所有可能的空间尺度。
3. 在所有空间尺度（1、2、3、4、5平方米）下，物种丰富度（species richness）均通过物种异步性（species asynchrony）与超产效应（overyielding）对生态系统稳定性产生正向关联。α多样性与β多样性均与γ稳定性呈正相关。
4. 此外，种-面积关系（diversity–area relationship）的斜率显著高于稳定性-面积关系（stability–area relationship）的斜率，进而导致多样性-稳定性关系的斜率随面积增大而降低。
5. 综合分析：尽管物种多样性对生态系统稳定性的正向效应覆盖了从小型到大型的所有空间尺度，但本研究结果表明，为抵御全球环境变化给生态系统带来的风险，需维持高生物多样性与生物异质性（biotic heterogeneity）作为生态保障。