Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Brief Communications Arising
  • Published:

Plant communities

Ecosystem stability in Inner Mongolia

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.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bai, Y., Han, X., Wu, J., Chen, Z. & Li, L. Nature 431, 181–184 (2004).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Doak, D. F. et al. Am. Nat. 151, 264–276 (1998).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Tilman, D. Ecology 77, 350–363 (1996).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. McNaughton, S. J. Am. Nat. 111, 515–525 (1977).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. McNaughton, S. J. Ecol. Monogr. 55, 259–294 (1985).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Huston, M. C. & McBride, A. C. in Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning: Synthesis and Perspectives (eds Loreau, M., Naeem, S. & Inchausti, P.) 47–60 (Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, 2002).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Xiao, X. M., Wang, Y., Jiang, S., Ojima, D. S. & Bonham, C. D. J. Arid Environ. 31, 283–299 (1995).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Xiao, X. M., Jiang, S., Wang, Y., Ojima, D. S. & Bonham, C. D. Vegetatio 123, 1–12 (1996).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Chen, Z. Z. & Wang, S. P. (eds) Typical Steppe Ecosystem of China (Science, Beijing, 2000).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wang, S., Niu, H., Cui, X. et al. Ecosystem stability in Inner Mongolia. Nature 435, E5–E6 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature03862

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature03862

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing