The effects of human disturbance on the stability of alpine meadow
communities, their diversity–stability relationship, and the underlying
mechanisms are still not fully understood. Here, we performed a
12-year-long (2007–2018) two-factor (2 × 3) controlled experiment on
Kobresia humilis on the Tibetan Plateau. The manipulations included
three clipping levels (no clipping, NC; moderate clipping, MC; heavy
clipping, HC) and two fertilization levels (no fertilization, NF;
fertilization, F). Our results revealed that the two clipping
manipulations significantly increased the temporal stability of alpine
meadow communities, whose significant increase was more pronounced under
the MC than HC treatment. Moreover, asynchrony effects, portfolio
effects, and facilitation interactions were all present in the
communities under the six types of experimental treatment combinations.
Additionally, a selection effect was detected in the compound
communities, demonstrating characteristics that are common to different
mechanisms. There were no significant differences in the effects of
these mechanisms on community temporal stability between the NC–NF and
MC–NF interactive communities. The portfolio effects predominated when
clipping intensity was moderate under both fertilization and
non-fertilization conditions. By contrast, in the compound communities,
the selection effect predominated. In summary, we conclude that in
meadow communities that undergo clipping and fertilization disturbances,
facilitation interactions and weak interactions make a greater
contribution toward maintaining their temporal stability.
Temporal stability and maintenance mechanisms of alpine meadow communities under clipping and fertilization
