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Data from: A trait-based approach elucidates the synergies and vulnerabilities of ecosystem services in drylands, as well as their decoupling from biodiversity

Du, Lan1; Tang, Lisong2; Zheng, Xinjun2; Li, Yan3

Published Apr 15, 2025 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.4mw6m90mb

Data files

Apr 15, 2025 version files 103.37 KB

Abstract

Several studies have explored the linkages among biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and services; however, how biodiversity affects bundles of ecosystem services through collaboration and antagonism remains unknown, especially in ecologically fragile drylands. In this study, species-specific plant traits were extended to ecosystem services at the community level through transect sampling of shrublands in Northwest China using a trait-based approach. It revealed biodiversity-ecosystem service (ES) relationships in drylands and how environmental pressures (sites with high aridity, precipitation seasonality, and soil total salt) and human activities affect them. We found synergistic relationships among ESs at both the species and community levels, and environmental pressures and anthropogenic activities such as cotton cultivation and grazing are important drivers of ES decline at community level. However, environmental pressure did not reduce the alpha diversity such as species richness, Simpson, Shannon-Wiener, Margalef, and Pielou index of the shrublands, and the species richness of shrublands was decoupled from the ESs. Our findings highlight the vulnerability and sensitivity of drylands and show that rational human production activities are important for maintaining ESs in drylands.