Fig. 5 Changes in intra-annual biomass stability of
(a) community, (b) PR, (c) PB, (d)PF, (e) SS, (f) AB, (g) dominant species and
(h) intra-annual species asynchrony from 1981–2011.
Asterisks indicates significant
changes in biomass stability (*P < 0.05, **P <
0.01).
Abbreviations: perennial rhizome grass (PR), perennial bunchgrasses
(PB), perennial forbs (PF), shrubs and semi-shrubs (SS), and annuals and
biennials (AB).
Linear regressions showed that intra-annual community biomass stability
was positively correlated with biomass stability of functional group PR
(R2 = 0.29, P = 0.004), dominant species stability
(R2 = 0.28, P = 0.004), and species asynchrony
(R2 = 0.48, P < 0.001; Fig. 6a, h and i),
while it was negatively correlated with intra-annual biomass stability
of functional group PF (R2 = -0.19, P = 0.024; Fig.
6c). In addition, no significant relationships between community
intra-annual biomass stability and intra-annual biomass stability of
functional groups PB, SS and AB, species richness and community biomass
were found (Fig. 6b, d-g).