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应用生态学报 ›› 2026, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (9): 2853-2870.doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.202609.041

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生态系统稳定性概念辨析:核心维度、组织层级与尺度特征

阳涛1, 武海涛2*, 江静1, 何春光3, 盛连喜3, 任涛4   

  1. 1中国科学院东北地理与农业生态研究所, 长春 130102;
    2中国科学院沈阳应用生态研究所, 沈阳 110016;
    3东北师范大学环境学院,生态环境部湿地生态与植被恢复重点实验室, 长春 130117;
    4黑龙江多布库尔国家级自然保护区管理局, 黑龙江加格达奇 165000
  • 收稿日期:2026-06-01 接受日期:2026-07-20 出版日期:2026-09-18 发布日期:2026-10-12
  • 通讯作者: *E-mail: wuhaitao@iae.ac.cn
  • 作者简介:阳 涛, 男, 1993年生, 博士后/助理研究员。主要从事湿地恢复与生境功能稳定性研究。E-mail: yangtao@iga.ac.cn
  • 基金资助:
    国家重点研发计划项目(2022YFF1300900)和国家自然科学基金重点项目(42430511)

Conceptual clarification of ecosystem stability: Core dimensions, organizational levels, and scale characte-ristics

YANG Tao1, WU Haitao2*, JIANG Jing1, HE Chunguang3, SHENG Lianxi3, REN Tao4   

  1. 1Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China;
    2Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China;
    3Ministry of Ecology and Environment Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China;
    4Heilongjiang Duobukuer National Nature Reserve, Jiagedaqi 165000, Heilongjiang, China
  • Received:2026-06-01 Accepted:2026-07-20 Online:2026-09-18 Published:2026-10-12

摘要: 生态系统稳定性具有多维度、多层级和尺度依赖性,缺乏清晰的概念框架易导致稳定性概念混淆。本文系统辨析了生态系统稳定性的内涵、核心维度、组织层级以及时空尺度依赖性。狭义上,生态系统稳定性通常指时间稳定性,常以生产力均值与标准差之比即变异系数的倒数来表征;广义上,生态系统稳定性指生态系统在环境波动、外界干扰和长期变化背景下,维持其关键结构、功能及服务供给的综合能力,至少涵盖抵抗力、恢复力、韧性、持久性、不变性以及多稳态等方面。基于广义生态系统稳定性概念框架,本文从结构与功能、不同生态组织层级以及时空尺度特征3个方面,分别阐述其内涵和主要研究进展,梳理和辨析生态系统稳定性的多维度、多层次概念体系。当前生态系统稳定性研究尚存在以下不足:概念多而不统一,指标多而整合不足,功能研究多而结构研究相对薄弱,单尺度研究多而跨尺度研究不足。未来应在统一生态系统稳定性的概念框架和规范化指标体系的基础上,进一步加强结构-功能耦合、跨生态组织层级传导机制、时空尺度关系以及多维稳定性综合评价研究。

关键词: 生态系统稳定性, 结构稳定性, 功能稳定性, 生态组织层级, 时空尺度

Abstract: Ecosystem stability is characterized by multidimensionality, hierarchical organization, and scale dependence. The lack of a clear conceptual framework has often led to confusion. We systematically examined the connotations, core dimensions, organizational levels, and spatiotemporal scale dependencies of ecosystem stability. In a narrow sense, ecosystem stability commonly refers to temporal stability of productivity, which is typically quantified as the ratio of the mean to the standard deviation of productivity (the inverse of the coefficient of variation). In a broader sense, ecosystem stability represents the overall capacity of ecosystems to maintain key structure, function, and ecosystem service provision under fluctuated environmental conditions, external disturbances, and long-term changes. It encompasses, at least, several dimensions, including resistance, recovery, resilience, persistence, invariability, and multi-stability. Based on the broad conceptual framework of ecosystem stability, we reviewed the definitions and major research advances from three perspectives: structure and function, different levels of ecological organization, and spatiotemporal characteristics. We further summarized and clarified the multidimensional and multilevel conceptual system of ecosystem stability. Current studies on ecosystem stability still face several major challenges: diverse but inconsistent definitions, numerous indicators lacking integration, a stronger emphasis on functional stability than structural stability, and insufficient understanding of cross-scale stability mechanisms due to the prevalence of single-scale studies. Future research should establish a unified conceptual framework and standardized indicator system for ecosystem stability, while further strengthening investigations into structure-function coupling, cross-level transmission mechanisms among ecological organizational hierarchies, relationships across spatiotemporal scales, and comprehensive assessments of multidimensional ecosystem stability.

Key words: ecosystem stability, structural stability, functional stability, ecological organizational level, temporal and spatial scale