In recent years, the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem stability, productivity, and other ecosystem functions has been extensively studied by using theoretical approaches, experimental investigations, and observations in natural ecosystems; however, results are controversial. For example, simple systems were more stable than complex systems in theoretical studies, and higher productivity was observed in human-made ecosystems with poorer species composition, etc. The role of biodiversity in the ecosystem, such as its influence on sustainability, stability,and productivity, is still not understood. Because acceleratedsoil-erosion in various ecosystems has caused a decreaseof primary productivity, a logical way used in the study of the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function can be used to study the relationship between plant species diversity and soil conservation. In addition, biodiversity is a product of evolutionary history, and soil erosion is a key factor controlling the evolution of modern environment on the surface of the Earth. A study on the relationship between bio diversity and soil-erosion processes could help us understand the environmental evolution of Earth. Fifteen 10 m·40 m standard runoff plots were established to measure surface runoff, soil erosion, and total P loss in different secondary communities of semi-humid evergreen broad-leaved forests that varied in composition, diversity, and level of disturbance and soil erosion. The following five communities were studied: AEI (Ass. Elsholtzia fruticosa+Imperata cylindrical), APMO (Ass. Pinus yunnanensis+Myrsine africana+Oplismenus compsitus), APLO (Ass. Pinus yunnanensis+Lithocarpus confines+Oplismenus compsitus), AEME (Ass. Eucalyptus smith+Myrsine africana+Eupatorium adenophorum), and ACKV (Ass. Cyclobalanopsis glaucoides+Keteleeria evelyniana+Viola duelouxii). Tree density, the diameter of the tree at breast height, and the hygroscopic volume of plant leaves were determined in each plot. Results indicated that surface runoff, soil erosion, and total P loss decreased as a power function with increase in plant species diversity. Their average values for three years were 960.20 m3/(hm2 · year), 11.4 t/(hm2 · year), and 127.69 kg/(hm2 · year) in the plot with the lowest species diversity, and 75.55 m3/(hm2 · year), 0.28 t/(hm2 · year), and 4.71 kg/(hm2 · year) in the plot with the highest species diversity, 12, 50, and 25 times respectively lower compared with the lowest species diversity plots. The coefficients of variation of surface runoff, soil erosion, and total P loss also followed a power function with the increase of plant species diversity, and were 287.6, 534.21, and 315.47 respectively in the lowest species diversity plot and 57.93, 187.94, and 59.2 in the highest species diversity plot. Enhanced soil conservation maintained greater stability with increased plant species diversity. Plant individual density increased linearly and the canopy density and cross section at breast height increased logarithmically with the increase of plant species diversity. The hydrological function enhanced as the plant species diversity increased. There were obviously relationships between plant species diversity and rainfall interception, coverage, and plant individual density, which was related to soil conservation functions in the five forest communities. The complex relationships between plant species diversity and the above-mentioned ecological processes indicated that plant species diversity was an important factor influencing the interception of rainfall, reducing soil erosion and enhancing the stability of soil conservation, but its mechanism is not known. This experiment showed that plant species diversity promoted soil and nutrient conservation and ultimately lead to the increase of the primary productivity of the ecosystem, and was thus a good way to study the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem stability. Rainfall interception could be assessed easily using the hygroscopic volume of plant leaves. Because there were strong correlations between plant species diversity and soil conservation functions, the patterns of plant species diversity will show a certain level of predictability on the interactions of life systems with surface processes of the Earth.
