Role of plant litter in maintaining ecological stability of grassland following extreme rainfall

doi:10.1016/j.pld.2025.06.005

Plant Diversity ›› 2026, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (04): 815-822.DOI: 10.1016/j.pld.2025.06.005

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Role of plant litter in maintaining ecological stability of grassland following extreme rainfall

Zhouwen Ma^a,b, Lan Li^a, Yingxin Wang^a, Qingping Zhou^c, Xinquan Zhang^b, Fujiang Hou^a

a. State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, Gansu, China;
b. College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China;
c. College of Grassland Resources, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China

Received:2025-02-17 Revised:2025-06-15 Accepted:2025-06-17 Online:2025-06-20 Published:2026-07-25
Contact: Fujiang Hou,E-mail:cyhoufj@lzu.edu.cn
Supported by:
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32161143028, U21A20242), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFD1300504), the Program of National Science and Technology Assistance (KY202002011), the Program for Innovative Research Team of Ministry of Education (IRT17R50), the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (Grade C) of China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (GZC20241180), and the Sichuan Science and Technology Program (2024NSFSC2075). We thank the staff of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Research Base of Southwest Minzu University.

Role of plant litter in maintaining ecological stability of grassland following extreme rainfall

Zhouwen Ma^a,b, Lan Li^a, Yingxin Wang^a, Qingping Zhou^c, Xinquan Zhang^b, Fujiang Hou^a

a. State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, Gansu, China;
b. College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China;
c. College of Grassland Resources, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China

通讯作者: Fujiang Hou,E-mail:cyhoufj@lzu.edu.cn
基金资助:
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32161143028, U21A20242), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFD1300504), the Program of National Science and Technology Assistance (KY202002011), the Program for Innovative Research Team of Ministry of Education (IRT17R50), the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (Grade C) of China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (GZC20241180), and the Sichuan Science and Technology Program (2024NSFSC2075). We thank the staff of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Research Base of Southwest Minzu University.

Abstract

Abstract: Extreme climate scenarios threaten the ecological stability of grassland ecosystems. Plant litter plays a critical role in regulating ecosystem structure and function, therefore its accumulation must be carefully managed and manipulated. However, little is known about whether plant litter addition mitigates the effects of extreme weather events (e.g., heavy rainfall) on the ecological stability of grasslands. Here, we determined whether and, if so, how plant litter increases the ecological stability (i.e., resistance, resilience, and recovery) after extreme rainfall events in alpine grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. We found that plant litter addition increased resilience and recovery of alpine grassland following extreme rainfall, but did not increase resistance. The ecological stability of plant functional groups, plant asynchrony, and changes in plant community compositional dynamics contributed to the resistance, resilience, and recovery of plant communities following extreme rainfall in the alpine grassland. Our findings indicate that the addition of plant litter could improve the ecological stability of alpine grassland following extreme rainfall event. Mainly through changing the ecological stability of certain plant functional groups within the community. These findings highlight the important role of plant litter accumulation in maintaining ecosystem stability of grassland in response to extreme weather events.

Key words: Alpine grassland, Extreme rainfall, Plant litter, Recovery, Resilience

摘要： Extreme climate scenarios threaten the ecological stability of grassland ecosystems. Plant litter plays a critical role in regulating ecosystem structure and function, therefore its accumulation must be carefully managed and manipulated. However, little is known about whether plant litter addition mitigates the effects of extreme weather events (e.g., heavy rainfall) on the ecological stability of grasslands. Here, we determined whether and, if so, how plant litter increases the ecological stability (i.e., resistance, resilience, and recovery) after extreme rainfall events in alpine grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. We found that plant litter addition increased resilience and recovery of alpine grassland following extreme rainfall, but did not increase resistance. The ecological stability of plant functional groups, plant asynchrony, and changes in plant community compositional dynamics contributed to the resistance, resilience, and recovery of plant communities following extreme rainfall in the alpine grassland. Our findings indicate that the addition of plant litter could improve the ecological stability of alpine grassland following extreme rainfall event. Mainly through changing the ecological stability of certain plant functional groups within the community. These findings highlight the important role of plant litter accumulation in maintaining ecosystem stability of grassland in response to extreme weather events.

关键词: Alpine grassland, Extreme rainfall, Plant litter, Recovery, Resilience

Zhouwen Ma, Lan Li, Yingxin Wang, Qingping Zhou, Xinquan Zhang, Fujiang Hou. Role of plant litter in maintaining ecological stability of grassland following extreme rainfall[J]. Plant Diversity, 2026, 48(04): 815-822.

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Role of plant litter in maintaining ecological stability of grassland following extreme rainfall

Role of plant litter in maintaining ecological stability of grassland following extreme rainfall

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