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. 众多生态系统中均已报道生物多样性（biodiversity）与生态系统稳定性之间存在正相关关系；然而，空间尺度是否以及如何影响这一关系，目前仍未明确。本研究首次评估了α多样性（alpha diversity）、β多样性（beta diversity）和γ多样性（gamma diversity）对生态系统稳定性的影响，以及多样性-稳定性关系斜率的尺度依赖性。
2. 本研究依托中国北方温带草原长达33年的长期数据集，以基础1平方米样地为单元进行全组合，计算得到所有可能的空间尺度。
3. 在所有空间尺度（1、2、3、4和5平方米）下，物种丰富度均通过物种异步性与超产效应（overyielding）与生态系统稳定性呈正相关关系。α多样性与β多样性均与γ稳定性呈正相关关系。
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，这导致多样性-稳定性关系的斜率随面积增大而降低。
5. 综合分析：鉴于物种多样性对生态系统稳定性的正向效应从小尺度到大尺度均存在，本研究结果表明，需维持高生物多样性与生物异质性（biotic heterogeneity），以此作为生态系统应对全球环境变化所面临风险的保障手段。