# Biomass Exhibited Greater Sensitivity to Degradation Than Community Structure in an Alpine Meadow

## TL;DR

In alpine meadows, plant biomass declines more rapidly than community structure during degradation, suggesting restoration should prioritize productivity.

## Contribution

This study clarifies that biomass is more sensitive to degradation than community structure in alpine meadows.

## Key findings

- Aboveground and belowground biomass decline significantly with degradation severity.
- Community structure metrics like species richness and evenness remain largely unchanged.
- Plant functional group composition and dominant species show gradual transitions, not abrupt shifts.

## Abstract

Clarifying the temporal sequence of productivity loss and community structure alteration is critical for developing effective grassland restoration strategies. However, the relative timing of declines in plant productivity and community structure during grassland degradation remains poorly resolved. To address this gap, we conducted a field survey in an alpine meadow in Potatso National Park, southeastern Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau (QTP), to quantify plant biomass and community structure. Based on the collected data, four degradation levels (DL1–DL4) were identified, representing a progressive gradient of degradation intensity. Results indicated that both aboveground biomass (AGB) and belowground biomass (BGB) declined significantly, whereas the root‐to‐shoot (R:S) ratio increased with increasing degradation severity (p < 0.05). In contrast, most community structural metrics—including species richness, Pielou's evenness index, and the coefficients of variation (CV) for plant cover and height—changed insignificantly (p > 0.05). Similarly, the composition of plant functional groups exhibited no significant shifts across degradation levels (p > 0.05). Species composition, including dominant species, displayed gradual transitions along the degradation gradient. These findings suggest that plant community structure is more resistant than productivity to degradation processes, providing mechanistic insight for prioritizing structural and functional targets in the restoration of alpine meadows in Potatso National Park.

A lot of knowledge on the changes of plant productivity and community structure in degraded alpine meadows is obtained on the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau. However, the order of the deterioration of plant productivity and community structure during grassland degradation remains unclear. Our results indicate that the structure of plant community might be more robust than plant productivity during the degradation process in alpine meadow ecosystems.