Asynchrony among species and functional groups and temporal stability under perturbations: Patterns and consequences

1. A number of theoretical and empirical studies have demonstrated effects of perturbations on ecosystem stability. Compensatory dynamics among taxonomic units have been proposed as a major mechanism regulating the temporal stability of biomass production (hereafter “temporal stability”). However, most studies have focused on the effects of species asynchrony on temporal stability in response to perturbations, and few studies examined how compensatory changes among functional groups affected temporal stability.

2. Here, we conducted a 4-year functional group removal experiment and a 4-year experimental warming and nitrogen addition experiment in an alpine meadow of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau to investigate the effects of perturbations (functional group removal, experimental warming and nitrogen addition) on temporal stability and the potential mechanisms.

3. In both experiments, temporal stability was positively related to both species and functional group asynchrony. However, spec...