• Energy Research

Climate change is known to influence interannual variation in grassland aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), or seasonal biomass, but direct, long-term ground observations are rare. We present a 22-year (1982-2003) measurement series from the Inner Mongolia grassland, China, to examine the effect of climate change on interannual variations in ANPP and monthly aboveground biomass (MAB). ANPP exhibited no increase over 1982-2003 but there was an association with previous-year precipitation. MAB in May increased by 21.8% from 47.8 g m(-2) (averaged for 1982-1984) to 58.2 g m(-2) (2001-2003), whereas there was no significant variation in June, July and August, and a decrease of 29.7% in September. The MAB increase in May was correlated with increases in precipitation and temperature in the preceding months. These findings suggest that the effects of climate change on grassland production vary throughout the growing season, with warmer and wetter springs resulting in increased biomass early in the growing season, and drier falls causing a decrease in biomass late in the growing season.

# Global biogeography and macroevolutionary patterns of angiosperm inflorescence types [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.73n5tb35w](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.73n5tb35w) ## Description of the data and file structure \* Dataset Title: Data for the article "Global biogeography and macroevolutionary patterns of angiosperm inflorescence types" \* Dataset Contributors: \* Creators: Yunyun Wang, Ao Luo, Dimitar Dimitrov, Robert P Freckleton, Zhanqing Hao, Zhiheng Wang \* Date of Issue: 2025-04-11 \* Publisher: Peking University Contact Information \* Name: Yunyun Wang \* Affiliations: School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xian 710000, China \* ORCID ID: [https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2019-8996](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2019-8996) \* Email: [WangYunyun@nwpu.edu.cn](mailto:WangYunyun@nwpu.edu.cn);[yyzhsh3210@163.com](mailto:yyzhsh3210@163.com) \* Alternate Email: [yyzhsh3210@163.com](mailto:yyzhsh3210@163.com) \* Alternative Contact: PI \* Name: Zhiheng Wang \* Affiliations: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University \* ORCID ID: [https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0808-7780](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0808-7780) \* Email: [zhiheng.wang@pku.edu.cn](mailto:zhiheng.wang@pku.edu.cn) \* Address: College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China **Additional Dataset Metadata** **Dates and Locations** Dates of data collection: YYW collected and checked and corrected the inflorescence type data. Geographic locations of data collection: globe Data and File Overview Summary Metrics \* File count: 1 \* File size: 12 808 KB \* File formats: .csv \* File name: Data S2_GloInflorescenceType_Upload_20240818.csv \* Description: The data file containing the species-level inflorescence type data used in our study. We also provide related information for each column. The file is currently formatted for use in csv file. \* Format(s): .csv \* Size(s): 12 8080 KB **Variables:** * Order: the family of family belong - Family: the family of genus belong * Genus: the genus of species belong - Genus_species: species name * InflorescenceType: species-level inflorescence type, determinate inflorescence or indeterminate inflorescence - Note: some data source for Inflorescence Type information * SplistInPhyloAnanlysis: species list used in the phylogenetic analyses - PolModbinary: species-level pollination mode, animal pollination and wind pollination * DataSourceof PolMod: data source for pollination mode information The huge variety of inflorescences plays an important role in the reproductive success and diversification of flowering plants. However, the influence of climate on inflorescence diversity at macroecological and macroevolutionary scales remains poorly understood. In this study we map the global spatio-temporal pattern of inflorescence types and investigate the influence of climate on the spatiotemporal patterns of angiosperm inflorescence diversity. Our results reveal a clear latitudinal trend in inflorescence types, with indeterminate inflorescence frequency increasing away from the equator. Pollination mode composition and temperature variables are strong correlates of the geographic variation in inflorescence type frequency. We further reveal that lineages with determinate inflorescence have significantly higher net diversification rate than those with indeterminate inflorescence. The frequency of evolutionary transitions from indeterminate to determinate inflorescences consistently decreased during the Cenozoic. Significantly, the evolutionary dynamics of inflorescence types during the Cenozoic show clear latitudinal differences: the proportion of indeterminate inflorescence at high latitudes increased with time and with the decline of paleo-temperature, while that at middle to low latitudes decreased. These results indicate strong climatic forcing on floral dynamics via influencing inflorescence types and their coevolution with animal pollination over large biogeographical and macroevolutionary scales.

The Anthropocene is witnessing a loss of biodiversity, with well-documented declines in the diversity of ecosystems and species. For intraspecific genetic diversity, however, we lack even basic knowledge on its global distribution. We georeferenced 92,801 mitochondrial sequences for >4500 species of terrestrial mammals and amphibians, and found that genetic diversity is 27% higher in the tropics than in nontropical regions. Overall, habitats that are more affected by humans hold less genetic diversity than wilder regions, although results for mammals are sensitive to choice of genetic locus. Our study associates geographic coordinates with publicly available genetic sequences at a massive scale, yielding an opportunity to investigate both the drivers of this component of biodiversity and the genetic consequences of the anthropogenic modification of nature.

Analyzing how climate change affects vegetation distribution is one of the central issues of global change ecology as this has important implications for the carbon budget of terrestrial vegetation. Mapping vegetation distribution under historical climate scenarios is essential for understanding the response of vegetation distribution to future climatic changes. The reconstructions of palaeovegetation based on pollen data provide a useful method to understand the relationship between climate and vegetation distribution. However, this method is limited in time and space. Here, using species distribution model (SDM) approaches, we explored the climatic determinants of contemporary vegetation distribution and reconstructed the distribution of Chinese vegetation during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, 18,000 14C yr BP) and Middle-Holocene (MH, 6000 14C yr BP). The dynamics of vegetation distribution since the LGM reconstructed by SDMs were largely consistent with those based on pollen data, suggesting that the SDM approach is a useful tool for studying historical vegetation dynamics and its response to climate change across time and space. Comparison between the modeled contemporary potential natural vegetation distribution and the observed contemporary distribution suggests that temperate deciduous forests, subtropical evergreen broadleaf forests, temperate deciduous shrublands and temperate steppe have low range fillings and are strongly influenced by human activities. In general, the Tibetan Plateau, North and Northeast China, and the areas near the 30°N in Central and Southeast China appeared to have experienced the highest turnover in vegetation due to climate change from the LGM to the present.

Significance Soil carbon sequestration plays an important role in mitigating anthropogenic increases in atmospheric CO 2 concentrations. Recent studies have shown that biodiversity increases soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in experimental grasslands. However, the effects of species diversity on SOC storage in natural ecosystems have rarely been studied, and the potential mechanisms are yet to be understood. The results presented here show that favorable climate conditions, particularly high precipitation, tend to increase both species richness and belowground biomass, which had a consistent positive effect on SOC storage in forests, shrublands, and grasslands. Nitrogen deposition and soil pH generally have a direct negative effect on SOC storage. Ecosystem management that maintains high levels of plant diversity can enhance SOC storage and other ecosystem services that depend on plant diversity.

Les écosystèmes des terres arides sont très vulnérables aux changements climatiques et à l'utilisation des terres, tandis que les mécanismes sous-jacents à la richesse des espèces des terres arides sont encore insaisissables. Avec des distributions de 3637 plantes vasculaires indigènes, 154 mammifères et 425 oiseaux dans le Xinjiang, en Chine, nous avons testé l'hypothèse de la dynamique eau-énergie pour les modèles de richesse en espèces dans les zones arides d'Asie centrale. Nos résultats ont soutenu l'hypothèse de la dynamique eau-énergie. Nous avons constaté que la richesse en espèces des trois groupes était une fonction en forme de bosse de la disponibilité en énergie, mais une fonction linéaire de la disponibilité en eau. Nous avons en outre constaté que la disponibilité de l'eau avait des effets plus forts sur la richesse des plantes, mais des effets plus faibles sur la richesse des vertébrés que la disponibilité de l'énergie. Nous avons effectué des régressions linéaires par morceaux pour détecter les points de rupture dans la relation entre la richesse en espèces et l'évapotranspiration potentielle qui divisait le Xinjiang en régions à basse et haute énergie. La concordance entre la richesse des mammifères et des plantes était plus forte dans les régions à haute énergie que dans les régions à basse énergie, ce qui était opposé à celui entre les oiseaux et les plantes. La richesse végétale a eu des effets plus forts que le climat sur la richesse des mammifères indépendamment des niveaux d'énergie, mais sur la richesse des oiseaux uniquement dans les régions à haute énergie. Les changements dans la concordance entre la richesse des vertébrés et des plantes le long du gradient climatique suggèrent que des précautions sont nécessaires lors de l'utilisation de la concordance entre les taxons dans la planification de la conservation. Los ecosistemas de las tierras secas son muy vulnerables a los cambios climáticos y de uso de la tierra, mientras que los mecanismos subyacentes a los patrones de riqueza de especies de las tierras secas siguen siendo difíciles de alcanzar. Con distribuciones de 3637 plantas vasculares nativas, 154 mamíferos y 425 aves en Xinjiang, China, probamos la hipótesis de la dinámica agua-energía para los patrones de riqueza de especies en las tierras secas de Asia Central. Nuestros resultados respaldaron la hipótesis de la dinámica agua-energía. Encontramos que la riqueza de especies de los tres grupos era una función en forma de joroba de la disponibilidad de energía, pero una función lineal de la disponibilidad de agua. Además, descubrimos que la disponibilidad de agua tenía efectos más fuertes en la riqueza de las plantas, pero efectos más débiles en la riqueza de los vertebrados que la disponibilidad de energía. Realizamos regresiones lineales por partes para detectar los puntos de ruptura en la relación entre la riqueza de especies y la evapotranspiración potencial que dividía a Xinjiang en regiones de baja y alta energía. La concordancia entre la riqueza de mamíferos y plantas fue más fuerte en las regiones de alta que en las de baja energía, que era opuesta a la de las aves y las plantas. La riqueza de plantas tuvo efectos más fuertes que el clima en la riqueza de mamíferos independientemente de los niveles de energía, pero en la riqueza de aves solo en regiones de alta energía. Los cambios en la concordancia entre la riqueza de vertebrados y plantas a lo largo del gradiente climático sugieren que se necesitan precauciones al usar la concordancia entre taxones en la planificación de la conservación. Dryland ecosystems are highly vulnerable to climatic and land-use changes, while the mechanisms underlying patterns of dryland species richness are still elusive. With distributions of 3637 native vascular plants, 154 mammals, and 425 birds in Xinjiang, China, we tested the water-energy dynamics hypothesis for species richness patterns in Central Asian drylands. Our results supported the water-energy dynamics hypothesis. We found that species richness of all three groups was a hump-shaped function of energy availability, but a linear function of water availability. We further found that water availability had stronger effects on plant richness, but weaker effects on vertebrate richness than energy availability. We conducted piecewise linear regressions to detect the breakpoints in the relationship between species richness and potential evapotranspiration which divided Xinjiang into low and high energy regions. The concordance between mammal and plant richness was stronger in high than in low energy regions, which was opposite to that between birds and plants. Plant richness had stronger effects than climate on mammal richness regardless of energy levels, but on bird richness only in high energy regions. The changes in the concordance between vertebrate and plant richness along the climatic gradient suggest that cautions are needed when using concordance between taxa in conservation planning. النظم الإيكولوجية للأراضي الجافة معرضة بشدة للتغيرات المناخية وتغيرات استخدام الأراضي، في حين أن الآليات الكامنة وراء الأنماط الأساسية لثراء أنواع الأراضي الجافة لا تزال بعيدة المنال. من خلال توزيع 3637 نباتًا وعائيًا محليًا و 154 حيوانًا ثدييًا و 425 طائرًا في شينجيانغ بالصين، اختبرنا فرضية ديناميكيات المياه والطاقة لأنماط ثراء الأنواع في الأراضي الجافة في آسيا الوسطى. دعمت نتائجنا فرضية ديناميكيات المياه والطاقة. وجدنا أن ثراء الأنواع في جميع المجموعات الثلاث كان دالة على شكل سنام لتوافر الطاقة، ولكنه كان دالة خطية لتوافر المياه. وجدنا كذلك أن توافر المياه كان له تأثيرات أقوى على ثراء النبات، ولكن تأثيرات أضعف على ثراء الفقاريات من توافر الطاقة. أجرينا انحدارات خطية جزئية للكشف عن نقاط التوقف في العلاقة بين ثراء الأنواع والتبخر المحتمل الذي قسم شينجيانغ إلى مناطق منخفضة وعالية الطاقة. كان التوافق بين ثراء الثدييات والنباتات أقوى في المناطق العالية منه في المناطق منخفضة الطاقة، وهو ما كان عكس ذلك بين الطيور والنباتات. كان لثراء النبات تأثيرات أقوى من المناخ على ثراء الثدييات بغض النظر عن مستويات الطاقة، ولكن على ثراء الطيور فقط في المناطق ذات الطاقة العالية. تشير التغييرات في التوافق بين الفقاريات وثراء النبات على طول التدرج المناخي إلى ضرورة توخي الحذر عند استخدام التوافق بين الأصناف في تخطيط الحفظ.

AbstractPlot‐scale experiments indicate that functional diversity (FD) plays a pivotal role in sustaining ecosystem functions such as net primary productivity (NPP). However, the relationships between functional diversity and NPP across larger scale under varying climatic conditions are sparsely studied, despite its significance for understanding forest–atmosphere interactions and informing policy development. Hence, we examine the relationships of community‐weighted mean (CWM) and functional dispersion (FDis) of woody plant traits on NPP across China and if such relationships are modulated by climatic conditions at the national scale. Using comprehensive datasets of distribution, functional traits, and productivity for 9120 Chinese woody plant species, we evaluated the distribution pattern of community‐weighted mean and functional dispersion (including three orthogonal trait indicators: plant size, leaf morphology, and flower duration) and its relationships with NPP. Finally, we tested the effects of climatic conditions on community‐weighted mean/functional dispersion–NPP relationships. We first found overall functional diversity–NPP relationships, but also that the magnitude of these relationships was sensitive to climate, with plant size community‐weighted mean promoting NPP in warm regions and plant size functional dispersion promoting NPP in wet regions. Second, warm and wet conditions indirectly increased NPP by its positive effects on community‐weighted mean or functional dispersion, particularly through mean plant size and leaf morphology. Our study provides comprehensive evidence for the relationships between functional diversity and NPP under varying climates at a large scale. Importantly, our results indicate a broadening significance of multidimensional plant functional traits for woody vegetation NPP in response to rising temperatures and wetter climates. Restoration, reforestation actions and natural capital accounting need to carefully consider not only community‐weighted mean and functional dispersion but also their interactions with climate, to predict how functional diversity may promote ecosystem functioning under future climatic conditions.