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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 11, 2026

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Published on: March 12, 2013

Coupled Above- and Belowground Ecosystem Stability Worldwide.

Zexin Meng^1,2, Huiwen Li³, Yiping Wu^1,2

¹Institute of Global Environmental Change; Department of Earth & Environmental Science, School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.

Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)

|March 9, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Stable terrestrial ecosystems are vital for climate regulation. This study reveals a strong link between aboveground and belowground ecosystem stability, particularly in arid regions, highlighting the crucial role of stable temperatures.

Keywords:

above‐ and belowground coupling arid environments climatic fluctuations ecosystem stability soil respiration

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Last Updated: Mar 11, 2026

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

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Published on: March 12, 2013

JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning

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Published on: March 21, 2025

Soil Lysimeter Excavation for Coupled Hydrological, Geochemical, and Microbiological Investigations

Soil Lysimeter Excavation for Coupled Hydrological, Geochemical, and Microbiological Investigations

Published on: September 11, 2016

Area of Science:

Ecology
Environmental Science
Climate Science

Background:

Terrestrial ecosystem stability is crucial for climate regulation and planetary security.
Aboveground ecosystem stability is well-studied, but belowground stability and its connection to aboveground processes are poorly understood globally.
Understanding these connections is vital for predicting ecosystem responses to climate change.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate global patterns of belowground ecosystem stability and its relationship with aboveground ecosystem stability.
To identify environmental factors that influence the coupling of above- and belowground ecosystem stability.
To provide insights into maintaining ecosystem stability under a changing climate.

Main Methods:

Assembled a global dataset of annual soil respiration and aboveground ecosystem productivity from 4,544 communities (1985-2018).
Analyzed long-term stability patterns in both aboveground productivity and belowground soil respiration.
Examined the correlation between above- and belowground stability across different environmental conditions, focusing on temperature.

Main Results:

Ecosystems with stable aboveground productivity exhibited greater long-term stability in soil respiration.
A significant positive correlation was found between above- and belowground ecosystem stability, strongest in arid environments.
Stable temperatures were identified as a key factor reinforcing the stability and coupling of above- and belowground ecosystems.

Conclusions:

Aboveground and belowground ecosystem stability are interconnected on local to global scales.
Temperature stability plays a fundamental role in maintaining coupled ecosystem stability.
These findings are critical for understanding and predicting ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change.