Relationship between Tree Richness and Temporary Stability of Plant Communities: A Case Study of a Forest in Northeast China

The relationship between diversity and stability is a classic issue in ecology, but no general consensus has been achieved. To address this relationship, a field survey of a forest in Northeast China was conducted. The temporary stability was defined from the perspective of community characteristics. The results showed that communities with the highest temporary stability value were characterized by a single dominant species. A significant linear relationship with a low R-2 value was observed between temporary stability and tree richness. When dominant and non-dominant tree species were studied, no significant linear relationship was obtained between temporary stability and non-dominant tree richness. However, the relationship between temporary stability and dominant tree richness was significant with a high R-2 value, and the temporary stability decreased with increasing dominant tree richness. This study demonstrates that dominant tree richness is closely related to temporary stability, and temporary stability can serve as a stability indicator. The results provide a new perspective for understanding stability and additional information for revealing the relationship between diversity and stability in forest ecosystems.