A globally consistent scaling relationship reveals stabilizing effects of dominant species in plant communities
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Despite extensive research, stabilizing mechanisms in ecosystems remain uncertain. Taylor's power law (TPL) is a pervasive ecological pattern that describes how variance scales with mean abundance (σ 2 = aμᵇ). While TPL has been widely studied within populations, its role across species within communities and its implications for stability remain largely unexplored. A TPL scaling factor (b) < 2 implies an unexplored stabilizing effect of dominant species (hereafter the ‘dominance effect'), where community stability arises from dominant species being relatively more stable than subordinates. This study aims to explore the influence of TPL exponent b on the dominance effect on stability and identify the biotic and abiotic community factors shaping it. Using data from over 9000 permanent vegetation plots globally, we investigated within‐community TPL, linked it to the dominance effect, and examined drivers of b values. Results reveal a strong contribution of b, together with species evenness, to dominance effects on stability. A ubiquitous TPL (mode R 2 = 0.92) with a consistent b < 2 highlights widespread dominance effects. Lower b values were linked to resource‐conservative strategies and climatic seasonality, reinforcing the role of environmental filtering in stability. These findings highlight the widespread dominance effect on community temporal stability, particularly driven by woody, large‐seeded species in cold, seasonal climates. Moreover, results identify the TPL exponent b as a powerful indicator of dominant species' stabilizing effects, complementing the well‐known role of species diversity.
Source: Ecography
DOI: 10.1002/ecog.08242
Authors: Clara Gracia, Jules Segrestin, Jan Lepš, Peter B. Adler, Susan P. Harrison, Lars Götzenberger, Enrique Valencia, Víctor Lecegui, Manuele Bazzichetto, Roberto Canullo, Stefano Chelli, Jürgen Dengler, Jiri Dolezal, David J. Eldridge, Franz Essl, Felícia M. Fischer, Anaclara Guido, Lauren Hallet, Tomas Herben, Norbert Hölzel, Anke Jentsch, Miklós Kertész, Xiaofei Li, Gábor Ónodi, Robin J. Pakeman, Alain Paquette, Kersti Pussa, Anita C. Risch, Marta Rueda, Wolfgang Schmidt, Ute Schmiedel, Zhiwei Zhong, Martin Zobel, Francesco de Bello
Institutions: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universitat de València, Centre d'Investigacions sobre Desertificació, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Biology Centre, Utah State University, University of California, Davis, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Botany, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Università di Camerino, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, UNSW Sydney, University of Vienna, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Universidad de la República de Uruguay, University of Oregon, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado Boulder, Charles University, University of Münster, University of Bayreuth, Institute of Ecology and Botany, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Jilin Agricultural University, James Hutton Institute, Université du Québec à Montréal, University of Tartu, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Universidad de Sevilla, University of Göttingen, Universität Hamburg, Stellenbosch University, Northeast Normal University
Language: English
Subfield: Nature and Landscape Conservation
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,190
Funder: Fundación Ramón Areces
OpenAlex ID: W7130407257