不同干扰对黄土区典型草原物种多样性和生物量的影响

对黄土区典型草原进行封育+施肥(EF)、封育+火烧(EB)、封育(E)和放牧(G)处理,实地调查分析群落盖度、高度、密度、地上现存量和物种多样性,以研究不同干扰对黄土区典型草原群落物种多样性和生物量的影响.结果表明:在4种干扰类型中,施肥+封育草地群落盖度和地上生物量最高,且优势度指数最高,这与禾本科草占优势地位有关,群落均匀度指数和多样性指数最低,符合“生态位理论”;放牧地群落高度、盖度、密度和地上现存量最低,群落丰富度指数和多样性指数最高,支持“中度干扰理论”;封育地密度和均匀度指数最高;具体表现为:4种干扰类型地上生物量的变化趋势为封育+施肥＞封育+火烧＞封育＞放牧;说明长时间的封育对草地是一种严重干扰.群落丰富度指数(R和Ma)的排列顺序为放牧＞封育+施肥＞封育+火烧＞封育,群落物种多样性指数(H'和D)的排列顺序为放牧＞封育＞封育+火烧＞封育+施肥,优势度指数与多样性指数相反,群落均匀度指数(Jsw和Ea)的排列顺序为封育＞放牧＞封育+火烧＞封育+施肥.不同干扰样地群落生产力与Shannon-Wiener和Simpson 多样性指数间呈负相关关系,这个结论可以用地上/地下竞争的相互作用来解释.     

长期封育演替下典型草原植物群落生产力与多样性关系

封育是退化草地的重要恢复措施, 理解长期封育过程中草地群落生产力和植物多样性变化特征及两者间关系, 有助于草地植被的恢复管理与利用。该研究依托宁夏云雾山国家级自然保护区典型草原长期封育演替梯度, 选择持续放牧、封育9年、26年和34年的草地群落作为研究对象, 分析其地上生产力、物种多样性和功能多样性的变化特征及内在联系。结果表明, 封育显著提高典型草原植物群落的地上生产力、凋落物生物量、功能丰富度和功能离散度, 未改变草地群落的物种丰富度、Shannon-Wiener指数和功能均匀度, 但Simpson优势度指数和Pielou均匀度指数在长期封育(34年)后显著下降。此外, 封育对不同植物群落加权平均功能性状的影响存在差异。随机森林模型和方差分解结果显示, 群落加权平均功能性状对封育草地群落地上生产力变异的解释度高达70.70%, 其中植株高度是最主要的解释因子; 功能多样性的解释度为36.86%, 主要由功能丰富度贡献; 而物种多样性的解释度仅为14.72%。由此可见, 植物功能性状和功能多样性对草地群落地上生产力的贡献远高于物种多样性, 建议将其纳入植物群落恢复演替动态研究, 以便全面了解植物多样性与生态系统功能的关系, 为更好地实现生态恢复目标奠定基础。     

放牧强度对草甸草原生产力和多样性的影响

采用比较样地法研究了不同放牧强度对羊草草甸草原群落多样性和生产力的影响。结果表明:α多样性指数随放牧强度的增加表现为先增加后降低的趋势,其值在轻度放牧区最大,支持了"中度干扰理论";β多样性指数随放牧强度的增加而变大;不同放牧强度的草地植物种类相似性变差、草地地上净初级生产力与Alatalo均匀度指数具有显著的线性相关性(P0.05);放牧和气候对草地地上净初级生产力均有较大的影响,但二者的互作效应不显著(P0.05);不放牧不能持续维持草地的健康状况,但健康的草地状况可以有效地缓冲放牧和气候干扰,并能够维持较高的草地生产力和生物多样性。     

克氏针茅草原群落物种多样性与生物量关系对放牧强度的响应

放牧强度引起的草原植物群落物种多样性与地上生物量变化是近年来草地生态系统研究的热点问题。以内蒙古锡林郭勒克氏针茅草原为研究对象,探究植物群落结构特征、物种多样性与地上生物量之间相互关系及其对不同放牧强度的响应。结果表明：随着放牧强度的增加植物群落结构逐步向退化方向演替;植物群落高度逐渐降低（P<0.05）,密度逐渐增加（P<0.05）,盖度总体呈下降趋势（P<0.05）;植物群落和原有群落优势种地上生物量总体呈下降趋势（P<0.05）,而退化指示物种的地上生物量逐渐增加（P<0.05）;轻度、中度放牧条件下群落物种Margalef指数、Pielou指数、Simpson指数均显著高于重度放牧（P<0.05）;地上生物量与Shannon-Wiener指数、Margalef指数和Pielou指数呈正相关关系,而与Simpson指数呈负相关关系。综上所述,克氏针茅草原植物群落结构和功能在不同放牧强度下产生不同的响应,适度放牧有利于提高群落物种多样性与生物量。     

呼伦贝尔草原不同草地利用方式下生物多样性与生物量的关系

生物多样性与生产力的关系是当前生态学中研究的重点之一,以呼伦贝尔草原为研究对象,通过连续两个生长季的野外监测,从草地植物功能型的角度探讨了在不同利用方式下草地物种丰富度与地上生物量的关系,结果表明：（1）不同草地利用方式显著影响草地生物多样性和生产力,在3种不同利用方式中,生物多样性总体的趋势是割草〉围封〉放牧,其中Shannon-Wiener指数、Simpson指数和物种丰富度均差异显著;割草草地地上生物量最高,围封草地次之,放牧草地最少。（2）将草地植物按照植物功能型分类,放牧草地1、2年生植物占优势,随着物种丰富度的增加,1、2年生植物生物量没有明显的变化趋势;割草草地以禾本科植物和非禾本科植物为主,随着物种丰富度的增加,禾本科植物生物量呈下降趋势,而非禾本科植物变化不明显;围封草地中禾本科植物占优势,其他功能型植物分布较均匀,多度、频度和生物量等差异不显著。（3）3种草地利用方式中只有围封草地物种丰富度和地上生物量存在显著的正相关,即随着物种丰富度的增加,生物量也随之升高。其他两种利用方式下,物种丰富度对地上生物量没有显著影响。     

荒漠草原植物多样性恢复与土壤生境的关系

为揭示荒漠草原围栏封育后植物多样性的恢复对土壤生境的响应机制,以围栏封育和适度放牧草地的灰钙土和风沙土生境植物群落为研究对象,采用方差分析和冗余分析（redundancy analysis RDA）方法,研究了围栏封育后植物多样性的变化及其与土壤生境物理和化学因子的关系。结果表明：（1）相对于适度放牧利用,围栏封育显著降低了灰钙土和风沙土生境植物多样性;随着封育年限的增加,植物多样性呈现显著,且封育的负效应随着封育年限的增加而增加;（2）两种土壤生境下植物多样性与生物量均表现为负相关。植物群落对灰钙土和风沙土两种土壤生境下表现出的不同点有：（1）灰钙土生境下,植物多样性与砂粒正相关,生物量与有机碳,全氮正相关;（2）风沙土生境下,植物多样性与有机碳,全氮正相关,生物量与电导率正相关。未来荒漠草原退化草地植物多样性恢复需要充分考虑不同土壤生境类型的影响,草地管理需要采取适度利用和封育保护相结合道路。     

放牧格局和生境资源对矮嵩草（Kobresia humilis）分株生物量分配和补偿性生长的影响

为研究密集型克隆植物对放牧扰动和生境资源变化的生物量分配和补偿生长响应特性,验证克隆植物的觅食模型和3个有关植物个体补偿反应的假说(①放牧优化假说,grazing optimization hypothesis,GOH;②反应连续谱假说,continuum of responses hypothesis,CRH;③增长率模型,growth rate model,GRM),在具有不同放牧利用格局和土壤养分水平的高寒矮嵩草草甸(Ⅰ.畜圈草地:重度放牧、资源丰富;Ⅱ.牧道草地:中度放牧、资源贫乏;Ⅲ.封育草地:不放牧、资源贫乏)中通过设置扣笼/无扣笼样方对其建群种矮嵩草(Kobresia humilis)进行了研究.结果表明不论当年解除家畜放牧与否,春季采摘率越高(畜圈草地),分株生物量向生长的投入越少,向贮藏器官的投入越多.繁殖分配在中度采摘下最高(牧道草地),扣笼内外分株各部分的生物量分配无差异.矮嵩草分株在中度采摘×资源贫乏条件下产生了超补偿响应,在重度采摘×资源丰富条件下为等量补偿,重度采摘导致分株密度显著减少.生物量分配格局与觅食模型的预测不符.补偿生长响应特性证实了GOH和GRM的预测,但与CRH的预测不符.这说明在研究地区放牧扰动格局对克隆植物矮嵩草分株的生物量分配和补偿生长具有重要影响,适度放牧利用更利于引起超补偿,而重度利用可能会对该种群的长期保持产生不利影响.     

牦牛放牧率对小嵩草高寒草甸暖季草场植物群落组成和植物多样性的影响

两年的牦牛放牧试验结果表明:在暖季草场,随着放牧率的提高,禾草和莎草类功能群的盖度、生物量及其组成与高度减小,它们与放牧率呈显著的负相关 P<0.05 可食杂草和毒杂草类功能群的盖度、生物量及其组成与高度增加,它们与放牧率呈显著的正相关 P<0.05 各功能群的盖度与生物量之间是显著的正相关关系 P<0.05 .对照草地由于没有牦牛的采食,群落由少数优势种植物所统治,群落结构趋于简单,物种组成贫乏,物种多样性和均匀度指数最小;轻度放牧牦牛选择采食对植物群落的影响较小,群落的物种丰富度指数、均匀度指数和多样性指数均不高;中度放牧提高了资源的利用效率,增加了群落结构的复杂性,草地的物种丰富度指数、均匀度指数和多样性指数均最高,该结果支持 中度干扰理论 ;重度放牧由于牦牛采食过于频繁,改变了植物的竞争能力,导致植物种的均匀度下降,多样性减少.不同放牧率草地群落的物种数 S 、丰富度指数 Ma 、多样性指数 Shan-non-Wiener指数H′和Simpson指数D 、均匀度指数 Pielow指数J′ 的排序为:对照<轻度放牧<重度放牧<中度放牧,优势度指数 Berger-Parke指数 的变化趋势则与之相反.     

放牧干扰下高寒草甸物种、生活型和功能群多样性与生物量的关系

为明晰放牧强度对高寒草甸物种、生活型以及功能群多样性和生物量的时间累积作用以及对多样性与生物量之间相互关系的影响。选择青藏高原东北缘高寒草甸,在6个放牧强度样地连续4 a(2012—2015)进行物种、生活型、功能群多样性和生物量调查。采用重复测量方差分析和线性回归法分析放牧强度和放牧年份对物种、生活型、功能群多样性以及多样性与生物量之间的相关关系的影响。结果表明:(1)放牧强度和放牧年份均对生物量产生显著影响。随放牧强度增加,生物量显著降低。但随放牧年份延长,不同放牧强度区生物量无一致的变化规律。(2)放牧年份对物种、生活型和功能群丰富度、均匀度和优势度的影响均达到显著水平。但放牧强度和放牧年份只对物种丰富度产生交互作用,放牧强度对物种丰富度的影响具有时间的累积效应。(3)放牧干扰下不同层次多样性,仅物种丰富度与所有多样性指数显著相关,物种丰富度可以作为物种多样性测度的代表性指标。(4)多样性与生物量关系的研究,对丰富度而言,仅低放牧强度样地(Plot2)中物种丰富度随生物量增加而显著降低,其余放牧强度样地的物种、生活型和功能群丰富度均与生物量无关。对均匀度而言,高放牧强度样地(Plot4、Plot5、Plot6)生活型均匀度随生物量的增加而显著降低。对优势度而言,高放牧强度样地生活型优势度随生物量的增加而显著增加。生活型多样性可作为放牧干扰下生物量变化快速预测的有效指标。     

放牧对草地群落与土壤特征的影响

针对放牧干扰对草地生态系统的影响,采用回归分析和典型对应分析(CCA)方法,研究放牧对草地植物群落物种多样性与生产力、土壤碳氮含量与生物量关系的影响。结果表明:(1)与休牧草地相比,放牧草地的地上生物量降低31.63%,凋落物生物量降低134.29%;放牧草地的禾草类生物量提高19.77%,而杂草类生物量和豆科类生物量分别降低31.09%和23.42%。(2)当物种多样性指数小于1.3时,休牧草地的生产力明显高于放牧草地;当物种多样性指数大于1.3时,放牧草地的生产力高于休牧草地。(3)CCA分析显示,家畜主要通过影响群落地上生物量、凋落物质量和土壤容重进而影响土壤的碳氮含量。(4)当群落地上生物量小于100g·m-2时,休牧草地的土壤有机碳和全氮含量高于放牧草地,当群落地上生物量大于100g·m-2时,放牧草地则略高于休牧草地。(5)当群落地下生物量小于1 200g·m-2时,放牧草地土壤有机碳、全氮含量高于休牧草地;当地下生物量大于1 200g·m-2时,放牧草地则略低于休牧草地。     

Grazing weakens temporal stabilizing effects of diversity in the Eurasian steppe

Many biodiversity experiments have demonstrated that plant diversity can stabilize productivity in experimental grasslands. However, less is known about how diversity–stability relationships are mediated by grazing. Grazing is known for causing species losses, but its effects on plant functional groups (PFGs) composition and species asynchrony, which are closely correlated with ecosystem stability, remain unclear. We conducted a six‐year grazing experiment in a semi‐arid steppe, using seven levels of grazing intensity (0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, 6.0, 7.5, and 9.0 sheep per hectare) and two grazing systems (i.e., a traditional, continuous grazing system during the growing period (TGS), and a mixed one rotating grazing and mowing annually (MGS)), to examine the effects of grazing system and grazing intensity on the abundance and composition of PFGs and diversity–stability relationships. Ecosystem stability was similar between mixed and continuous grazing treatments. However, within the two grazing systems, stability was maintained through different pathways, that is, along with grazing intensity, persistence biomass variations in MGS, and compensatory interactions of PFGs in their biomass variations in TGS. Ecosystem temporal stability was not decreased by species loss but rather remain unchanged by the strong compensatory effects between PFGs, or a higher grazing‐induced decrease in species asynchrony at higher diversity, and a higher grazing‐induced increase in the temporal variation of productivity in diverse communities. Ecosystem stability of aboveground net primary production was not related to species richness in both grazing systems. High grazing intensity weakened the temporal stabilizing effects of diversity in this semi‐arid grassland. Our results demonstrate that the productivity of dominant PFGs is more important than species richness for maximizing stability in this system. This study distinguishes grazing intensity and grazing system from diversity effects on the temporal stability, highlighting the need to better understand how grazing regulates ecosystem stability, plant diversity, and their synergic relationships.     

刈割、施肥和浇水对高寒草甸物种多样性、功能多样性与初级生产力关系的影响

 通过在高寒矮嵩草(Kobresia humilis)草甸为期4年的刈割(留茬1 cm、3 cm及不刈割)、施肥(尿素7.5 g·m^–2·a^–1 +磷酸二铵1.8 g·m^–2·a^–1、不施肥)和浇水(20.1 kg·m^–2·a^–1、不浇水)控制实验, 对该生态系统中功能多样性与物种多样性的变化及其与初级生产力关系进行了研究。结果表明: 刈割和施肥显著影响植物性状和生产力, 而浇水作用微弱。刈割对物种多样性无影响, 但对不同功能多样性指数的影响不同; 施肥降低了物种多样性和以所有性状(除植株高度外)量化的功能多样性; 浇水仅对物种丰富度有微弱影响。各功能多样性的平均值能更好地反映群落物种间的功能差异。功能多样性和物种多样性呈正相关或不相关, 且二者与初级生产力的关系可表现为正相关、负相关和不相关, 说明三者间的关系是性状依赖的, 并受生境资源状况和刈割扰动的影响。植物功能性状对群落初级生产力有更加直接的影响。在考虑生物多样性对生态系统功能的影响时, 应更加注重对植物功能属性变化的研究。     

Microbial diversity, producer-decomposer interactions and ecosystem processes: a theoretical model

Interactions between the diversity of primary producers and that of decomposers--the two key functional groups that form the basis of all ecosystems--might have major consequences on the functioning of depauperate ecosystems. I present a simple ecosystem model in which primary producers (plants) and decomposers (microbes) are linked through material cycling. The model considers a diversity of plant organic compounds and a diversity of microbial species. Nutrient recycling efficiency from organic compounds to decomposers is then the key parameter that controls ecosystem processes (primary productivity, secondary productivity, producer biomass and decomposer biomass). The model predicts that microbial diversity has a positive effect on nutrient recycling efficiency and ecosystem processes through either greater intensity of microbial exploitation of organic compounds or functional niche complementarity, much like in plants. Microbial niche breadth and overlap should not affect ecosystem processes unless they increase the number of organic compounds that are decomposed. In contrast, the model predicts that plant organic compound diversity can only have a negative effect or, at best, no effect on ecosystem processes, at least in a constant environment. This creates a tension between the effects of plant diversity and microbial diversity on ecosystem functioning, which may explain some recent experimental results.     

放牧和模拟增温对藏北高寒草地植物群落特征及生产力的影响

气候变化和放牧活动对草地植物物种多样性和生产力具有重要影响。为探索藏北高寒草地植物物种多样性和生产力对增温、放牧及其交互作用的响应, 于2011年在藏北高原开始建立增温实验平台, 2016年起增设放牧、增温+放牧实验, 连续2年(2016-2017年)观测了植物群落特征、群落组成、生产力和物种多样性。结果表明, 增温和放牧对高寒草地植物高度和净初级生产力具有显著交互作用。在放牧条件下, 增温对植物高度无显著影响; 但在不放牧条件下, 增温却显著增加了植物高度。在放牧条件下, 增温对净初级生产力的影响存在年际差异, 2016年增温对生产力无显著影响, 2017年增温显著降低了植物净初级生产力; 但在不放牧条件下, 增温对植物净初级生产力无显著影响。增温和放牧对高寒草地植物物种丰富度、盖度、重要值及多样性均无显著交互作用。植物盖度在增温和放牧条件下显著降低, 杂类草物种比例显著增加, 但物种多样性均无显著变化。研究表明, 增温和放牧显著改变高寒草地群落结构。未来气候变化条件下, 放牧活动加剧有可能导致高寒草地生产力降低。     

Response mechanism of plant diversity to herbivore foraging in desert grassland

Aims The mechanism of herbivore foraging effect on plant diversity and ecosystem functions of grasslands is the core issue of grazing ecology research. This study is aimed to examine 1) how species respond to different grazing intensity in grassland, and how plant diversity responds to different grazing intensity within different organization scales and whether there are cascade effects across multiple organization scales? 2) How herbivore foraging affects plant diversity.Methods Based on a six-year grazing experiment in Sonid Right Banner, Xilingol, the study attempted to explain the relationships between plant diversity and herbivore foraging from two perspectives, i.e. plant diversity index and herbivore preference index.Important findings Results showed that there were four modes for desert grassland plant in response to herbivore: grazing-hidden species, grazing-sensitive species, grazing-non inductive species and absolute dominant species. At the community scale, species diversity index decreased with an increased grazing intensity. Compared with no grazing, heavy grazing and moderate grazing treatments decreased community plant diversity, and the same principle is applicable to the functional group diversity. Further analysis found that differences of grazing species diversity within a functional group were mainly caused by shrubs and semi-shrubs. Compared to plots without grazing, the herbivore preference degree on the whole species was lower for moderate grazing plots than heavy grazing ones. The foraging preference order on the plant functional groups was annual and biennial forbs (AB), perennial forbs (PF), shrubs and semi-shrubs (SS) and perennial grasses (PG). The preferred species were mainly distributed in AB and PF. The diversity index of plant and preference index of herbivore were basically significant and negatively correlated (p < 0.05).     

Functional identity is the main driver of diversity effects in young tree communities

Two main effects are proposed to explain biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships: niche complementarity and selection effects. Both can be functionally defined using the functional diversity (FD) and functional identity (FI) of the community respectively. Herein, we present results from the first tree diversity experiment that separated the effect of selection from that of complementarity by varying community composition in high‐density plots along a gradient of FD, independent of species richness and testing for the effects of FD and community weighted means of traits (a proxy for FI) on stem biomass increment (a proxy for productivity). After 4 years of growth, most mixtures did not differ in productivity from the averages of their respective monocultures, but some did overyield significantly. Those positive diversity effects resulted mostly from selection effects, primarily driven by fast‐growing deciduous species and associated traits. Net diversity effect did not increase with time over 4 years.     

高寒草地植物物种多样性与功能多样性的关系

物种多样性与功能多样性的关系是生态学当前研究的热点问题之一,不同区域典型生态系统物种多样性和功能多样性的关系研究有利于生物多样性保护理论的全面发展。以青藏高原地区的主要草地生态系统—高寒草甸和高寒草原为研究对象,采用4个物种多样性指数(Patrick丰富度指数、Shannon-Weiner多样性指数、Pielou均匀度指数和Simpson优势度指数)和9个功能多样性指数(FAD功能性状距离指数、MFAD功能性状平均距离指数、基于样地的FDp和基于群落的FDc功能树状图指数、FRic功能体积指数、FEve功能均匀度指数、Rao功能离散度常二次熵指数、FDiv功能离散指数、FDis功能分散指数),分析了高寒草地植物物种多样性、功能多样性关系及其与初级生产力的关系,以期阐明3个科学问题:不同草地类型的高寒草地生态系统植物物种多样性和功能多样性有何差异?高寒草地生态系统的植物物种多样性和功能多样性有何关系?高寒草地生态系统物种多样性、功能多样性对生态系统功能的影响有何异同?研究结果表明:(1)与高寒草原相比,高寒草甸具有更高的物种多样性、功能丰富度和功能离散度;(2)高寒草甸中,Patrick丰富度与功能丰富度指数(FAD、MFAD、FDp、FDc)和功能离散度指数(FDiv)的具有较强的相关性,最优拟合方程分别为幂函数和二次多项式函数;(3)高寒草原中,Patrick丰富度与功能丰富度指数(FAD、MFAD、FDp、FDc、FRic)、Shannon指数和Simpson指数与FEve指数的相关性较强,最优拟合方程为二次多项式函数,Pielou指数与FEve指数的相关性较强,最优拟合方程为指数函数;(4)高寒草甸的初级生产力分别与物种丰富度指数Patrick、功能离散指数FDiv具有较强的相关性;而高寒草原的初级生产力与4个物种多样性指数间均具有较强的相关性,与功能离散指数FDiv具有较强的相关性,最佳拟合方程均为二次多项式函数。研究的总体结论为:物种多样性、功能多样性、二者之间的关系以及二者与生态系统服务功能(以初级生产力为例)之间的关系在高寒草甸和高寒草原群落中表现迥异,因此在研究青藏高原高寒草地的生态功能时,不能仅仅测度传统的物种多样性,还应测度与物种多样性、生态功能密切相关的功能多样性。     

Contrasting diversity patterns of breeding Anatidae in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

For sustaining ecosystem functions and services, environmental conservation strategies increasingly target to maintain the multiple facets of biodiversity, such as functional diversity (FD) and phylogenetic diversity (PD), not just taxonomic diversity (TD). However, spatial mismatches among these components of biodiversity can impose challenges for conservation decisions. Hence, understanding the drivers of biodiversity is critical. Here, we investigated the global distribution patterns of TD, FD, and PD of breeding Anatidae. Using null models, we clarified the relative importance of mechanisms that influence Anatidae community. We also developed random forest models to evaluate the effects of environmental variables on the Anatidae TD, FD, and PD. Our results showed that geographical variation in Anatidae diversity is hemispheric rather than latitudinal. In the species‐rich Northern Hemisphere (NH), the three diversity indices decreased with latitude within the tropical zone of the NH, but increased in the temperate zone reaching a peak at 44.5–70.0°N, where functional and phylogenetic clustering was a predominant feature. In the Southern Hemisphere (SH), Anatidae diversity increased poleward and a tendency to overdispersion was common. In NH, productivity seasonality and temperature in the coldest quarter were the most important variables. Productivity seasonality was also the most influential predictor of SH Anatidae diversity, along with peak productivity. These findings suggested that seasonality and productivity, both consistent with the energy‐diversity hypothesis, interact with the varying histories to shape the contrasting hemispheric patterns of Anatidae diversity. Phylogenetic diversity (PD) and FD underdispersion, widespread across the species‐rich, seasonally productive mid‐to‐high latitudes of the NH, reflects a rapid evolutionary radiation and resorting associated with Pleistocene cycles of glaciation. The SH continents (and southern Asia) are characterized by a widespread tendency toward PD and FD overdispersion, with their generally species‐poor communities comprising proportionately more older lineages in thermally more stable but less predictably productive environments.     

放牧对内蒙古典型草原α、β和γ多样性的影响机制

人类活动干扰对生物多样性和生态系统功能的影响机制是近年来生态学研究的一个热点问题。该研究以内蒙古锡林郭勒草原生态系统国家野外科学观测研究站的大型放牧控制实验为平台, 系统地研究了不同降水(丰水年份和平水年份)和地形(平地和坡地)条件下, 放牧对典型草原不同空间尺度植物多样性(α、β和γ多样性)的影响。研究发现: (1)降水和地形条件及其交互效应对植物多样性有明显的影响, 丰水年份的α、β和γ多样性均高于平水年份; 降水和地形条件存在交互效应, 平水年份坡地系统的α多样性高于平地系统, 丰水年份平地系统的α和γ多样性高于坡地系统, 而地形对β多样性并没有显著影响; (2)随着放牧强度的增加, 平地和坡地的α多样性均呈逐渐下降的趋势, 不同植物群落成员型(优势种、常见种和稀有种)对放牧的响应及其对α多样性的贡献不同, 其中稀有种对α多样性的贡献最大, 常见种次之, 优势种最小; (3) γ多样性对放牧强度的响应受地形条件的影响, 随着放牧强度的增加, 平地γ多样性呈逐渐下降的趋势, 而坡地γ多样性呈现先减少后增加的趋势; (4)平地β多样性随放牧强度的增加而逐渐减小, 而坡地并没有明显的规律。该研究表明, 植物多样性对放牧的响应受降水和地形因素的调控, 平地对放牧的缓冲能力强于坡地, 干旱会加剧过度放牧对生物多样性的影响; 稀有种对于草地生态系统的多样性维持具有重要意义。因此, 在确定合理的放牧强度时, 应结合降水和地形条件。在平水年份需加强平地系统植物多样性的保护, 而在丰水年份需加强坡地系统植物多样性的保护, 从而实现草地资源的可持续性利用。