Economic spectrum of desert ephemeral plants along a precipitation gradient in the Gurbantungut desert: aboveground and belowground functional traits determine productivity
- 1Hebei University, China
- 2Chinese Academy of Sciences Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, China
- 3Hebei University, China; Corresponding author.
Abstract
Precipitation is a pivotal factor regulating ecosystem patterns and processes in arid and semi-arid regions and plays a significant role in plant community development. This study aims to elucidate the variation patterns of above-ground and belowground functional traits in herbaceous plant communities along natural precipitation gradients, as well as the specific mechanisms through which shifts in community-weighted mean trait values influence productivity. Six sampling points were established along a precipitation gradient (115, 120, 125.8, 135, 137.5, and 160 mm) in the Gurbantunggut Desert. Species diversity, biomass, and leaf and root functional traits were measured to investigate their trends and interrelationships. Results indicate that increasing precipitation enhanced community cover and biomass, both of which exhibited rising trends, whereas community richness did not follow a similar pattern. Above- and belowground functional traits varied in accordance with the plant economic spectrum: under lowest precipitation, stands exhibited a high-turnover strategy characterized by high specific leaf area and specific root length; Under comparatively higher precipitation, a high-investment strategy prevailed, featuring larger individual size and thicker root diameter. Structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that variations in herbaceous plant functional traits and soil total nitrogen content were the primary pathways influencing above- and belowground biomass. Specifically, specific leaf area (SLA) was negatively correlated with aboveground biomass, while belowground root diameter (RD) was positively correlated with belowground biomass. This study contributes a scientific basis for predicting how desert ecosystems may respond to future precipitation pattern changes and for understanding community succession mechanisms. It also holds important implications for functional trait–based ecological management strategies and biodiversity protecting.
Related
- Coupled responses of aboveground and belowground net primary productivity stability to nitrogen deposition in grasslands
- Grazing-related disturbance decouples aboveground and belowground responses in the Eurasian meadow steppe
- Contribution of aboveground and belowground biomass of Robinia pseudoacacia trees to total plant carbon stocks in a young agroforestry system
- Community assembly in mountain grasslands: decoupled aboveground versus belowground processes driven by contrasting soil resources
- Forest belowground productivity and carbon allocation predominantly driven by soil properties rather than climate
BibTeX
@article{zhang2026economic,
title = {{Economic spectrum of desert ephemeral plants along a precipitation gradient in the Gurbantungut desert: aboveground and belowground functional traits determine productivity}},
author = {Ailin Zhang and Zihui Ren and Lin Shi and Hao Guo and Yong Jiang and Jinfei Yin},
journal = {Ecological Indicators},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.115450},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.115450},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Economic spectrum of desert ephemeral plants along a precipitation gradient in the Gurbantungut desert: aboveground and belowground functional traits determine productivity
AU - Ailin Zhang
AU - Zihui Ren
AU - Lin Shi
AU - Hao Guo
AU - Yong Jiang
AU - Jinfei Yin
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/23
JO - Ecological Indicators
DO - 10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.115450
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.115450
AB - Precipitation is a pivotal factor regulating ecosystem patterns and processes in arid and semi-arid regions and plays a significant role in plant community development. This study aims to elucidate the variation patterns of above-ground and belowground functional traits in herbaceous plant communities along natural precipitation gradients, as well as the specific mechanisms through which shifts in community-weighted mean trait values influence productivity. Six sampling points were established along a precipitation gradient (115, 120, 125.8, 135, 137.5, and 160 mm) in the Gurbantunggut Desert. Species diversity, biomass, and leaf and root functional traits were measured to investigate their trends and interrelationships. Results indicate that increasing precipitation enhanced community cover and biomass, both of which exhibited rising trends, whereas community richness did not follow a similar pattern. Above- and belowground functional traits varied in accordance with the plant economic spectrum: under lowest precipitation, stands exhibited a high-turnover strategy characterized by high specific leaf area and specific root length; Under comparatively higher precipitation, a high-investment strategy prevailed, featuring larger individual size and thicker root diameter. Structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that variations in herbaceous plant functional traits and soil total nitrogen content were the primary pathways influencing above- and belowground biomass. Specifically, specific leaf area (SLA) was negatively correlated with aboveground biomass, while belowground root diameter (RD) was positively correlated with belowground biomass. This study contributes a scientific basis for predicting how desert ecosystems may respond to future precipitation pattern changes and for understanding community succession mechanisms. It also holds important implications for functional trait–based ecological management strategies and biodiversity protecting.
SN - 1470-160X
SN - 1872-7034
ER -