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Ecosystem stability in Inner Mongolia

Author

Listed:
  • Shiping Wang

    (Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Haishan Niu

    (Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xiaoyong Cui

    (Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Shu Jiang

    (Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yonghong Li

    (Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xiangming Xiao

    (Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space, University of New Hampshire)

  • Jinzhi Wang

    (Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Guojie Wang

    (Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Dehua Huang

    (Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Qiuhui Qi

    (Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Zonggui Yang

    (Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

Arising from: Bai, Y., Han, X., Wu, J., Chen, Z. & Li, L. Nature, 431, 181–184 (2004) ; see also communication from Guo ; Bai, Y., Han, X., Wu, J., Chen, Z. & Li, L. reply . Bai et al.1 suggest that in China's Inner Mongolia steppe, community-level stability arises from compensatory effects among the principal components at both the species and plant functional group (PFG) levels. By analysing a consistent 19-year data set (1980–98), we show here that their analysis of a 24-year field data set (1980–2003) is called into question by inconsistencies in sampling location and numbers after 1998; the authors' findings are further undermined because they do not distinguish temporal variation from spatial heterogeneity in analysing compensatory effects among species or PFGs. We believe that rigorous reanalysis is needed for a better understanding of grassland stability.

Suggested Citation

  • Shiping Wang & Haishan Niu & Xiaoyong Cui & Shu Jiang & Yonghong Li & Xiangming Xiao & Jinzhi Wang & Guojie Wang & Dehua Huang & Qiuhui Qi & Zonggui Yang, 2005. "Ecosystem stability in Inner Mongolia," Nature, Nature, vol. 435(7045), pages 5-6, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:435:y:2005:i:7045:d:10.1038_nature03862
    DOI: 10.1038/nature03862
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