Data subset and codes for paper 'Trait-based mechanisms explain temporal stability in European grasslands'

The stability of ecosystem functioning is underpinned by multiple mechanisms, including dominant species strategies, compensatory dynamics, and the insurance effect. Functional traits provide a powerful lens for interpreting these mechanisms, yet non-experimental evidence from real-world ecosystems remains limited. Using resurveyed grassland plots with NDVI-based measures of temporal stability of productivity, we found that (1) fast-slow traits, functional dispersion, and functional divergence explained temporal stability more strongly than species richness; (2) the dominant functional strategy was the primary stabilizing mechanism, with acquisitive species enhancing stability by increasing mean productivity; (3) compensatory dynamics contributed more to stability than the insurance effect; and (4) under high-stress conditions, species richness and compensatory dynamics showed stronger positive associations with stability, consistent with the stress-gradient hypothesis. Our results highlight the importance of studying functional traits in understanding grassland stability. They provide deeper insights into how to maintain stable grassland ecosystems under global change.