The SLOSS debate in fragmented grasslands: A multi-dimensional biodiversity perspective

doi:10.1016/j.pld.2025.10.006

Plant Diversity ›› 2026, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (01): 84-91.DOI: 10.1016/j.pld.2025.10.006

The SLOSS debate in fragmented grasslands: A multi-dimensional biodiversity perspective

Jia-Wei Yu^a, Yong-Zhi Yan^a, Qing Zhang^a,b,c

a Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China;
b Collaborative Innovation Center for Grassland Ecological Security (Jointly Supported by the Ministry of Education of China and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region), Hohhot 010021, China;
c Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology and the Candidate State Key Laboratory of Ministry of Science and Technology, Hohhot 010021, China

收稿日期:2025-06-20 修回日期:2025-10-30 出版日期:2026-01-25 发布日期:2026-03-05
通讯作者: Jia-Wei Yu,E-mail:yjiawei959@163.com;Yong-Zhi Yan,E-mail:yanyongzhi@mail.imu.edu.cn;Qing Zhang,E-mail:qzhang82@163.com
基金资助:
This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia Key Project (2023ZD24), the Erdos City Major Science and Technology Special Project (ZD20232305), the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Science and Technology Plan Project (2025KYPT0012), the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Science and Technology Plan Project (2022ZD007), the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Education Department Project (NMGIRT2409), the Inner Mongolia First-Class Disciplines Scientific Research Special Project (YLXKZX-ND-047).

The SLOSS debate in fragmented grasslands: A multi-dimensional biodiversity perspective

Jia-Wei Yu^a, Yong-Zhi Yan^a, Qing Zhang^a,b,c

a Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China;
b Collaborative Innovation Center for Grassland Ecological Security (Jointly Supported by the Ministry of Education of China and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region), Hohhot 010021, China;
c Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology and the Candidate State Key Laboratory of Ministry of Science and Technology, Hohhot 010021, China

Received:2025-06-20 Revised:2025-10-30 Online:2026-01-25 Published:2026-03-05
Contact: Jia-Wei Yu,E-mail:yjiawei959@163.com;Yong-Zhi Yan,E-mail:yanyongzhi@mail.imu.edu.cn;Qing Zhang,E-mail:qzhang82@163.com
Supported by:
This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia Key Project (2023ZD24), the Erdos City Major Science and Technology Special Project (ZD20232305), the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Science and Technology Plan Project (2025KYPT0012), the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Science and Technology Plan Project (2022ZD007), the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Education Department Project (NMGIRT2409), the Inner Mongolia First-Class Disciplines Scientific Research Special Project (YLXKZX-ND-047).

摘要/Abstract

摘要： Conservationists have long debated whether fragmented habitats are best conserved by protecting a single large patch (SL) or several small patches (SS), i.e., the SLOSS debate. Although this SLOSS debate has provided important insights into biodiversity conservation, research has predominantly focused on only one dimension of diversity (i.e., taxonomic), failing to consider how phylogenetic and functional diversity might inform conservation strategies. In this study, we determined whether grasslands in the agro-pastoral ecotone of the Tabu River Basin, Inner Mongolia should be conserved by protecting a single large patch or several small patches. For this purpose, we quantified the relationships between three dimensions of biodiversity (taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity) and grassland patch area. We found species richness and the standardized effect size of phylogenetic diversity increased with patch area, whereas the standardized effect size of functional diversity decreased. Taxonomic measures of diversity indicated that the best strategy for conserving Tabu River Basin grasslands is to protect several small habitat patches; in contrast, phylogenetic and functional measures of diversity indicated that conserving a single large habitat patch was best. Our study emphasizes the necessity of considering multiple dimensions of diversity when designing conservation strategies for fragmented landscapes to achieve comprehensive biodiversity conservation.

关键词: Diversity-area relationship, SLOSS, Habitat fragmentation, Phylogenetic diversity, Functional diversity, Taxonomic diversity

Abstract: Conservationists have long debated whether fragmented habitats are best conserved by protecting a single large patch (SL) or several small patches (SS), i.e., the SLOSS debate. Although this SLOSS debate has provided important insights into biodiversity conservation, research has predominantly focused on only one dimension of diversity (i.e., taxonomic), failing to consider how phylogenetic and functional diversity might inform conservation strategies. In this study, we determined whether grasslands in the agro-pastoral ecotone of the Tabu River Basin, Inner Mongolia should be conserved by protecting a single large patch or several small patches. For this purpose, we quantified the relationships between three dimensions of biodiversity (taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity) and grassland patch area. We found species richness and the standardized effect size of phylogenetic diversity increased with patch area, whereas the standardized effect size of functional diversity decreased. Taxonomic measures of diversity indicated that the best strategy for conserving Tabu River Basin grasslands is to protect several small habitat patches; in contrast, phylogenetic and functional measures of diversity indicated that conserving a single large habitat patch was best. Our study emphasizes the necessity of considering multiple dimensions of diversity when designing conservation strategies for fragmented landscapes to achieve comprehensive biodiversity conservation.

Key words: Diversity-area relationship, SLOSS, Habitat fragmentation, Phylogenetic diversity, Functional diversity, Taxonomic diversity

Jia-Wei Yu, Yong-Zhi Yan, Qing Zhang. The SLOSS debate in fragmented grasslands: A multi-dimensional biodiversity perspective[J]. Plant Diversity, 2026, 48(01): 84-91.

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The SLOSS debate in fragmented grasslands: A multi-dimensional biodiversity perspective

The SLOSS debate in fragmented grasslands: A multi-dimensional biodiversity perspective

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