生態系統結構、功能和穩定性是近20年生態學和環境科學研究的焦點。化學計量內穩性（環境或者食物中的養分組成發生變化而生物體維持相應的元素相對不變的一種能力）是生物在長期的進化過程中，適應環境變化的結果，是生理和生化調節的反映。但是，化學計量內穩性與生態系統特性的關係還未見報導。
中科院植物研究所韓興國研究組在內蒙古錫林郭勒草原生態系統國家野外科學觀測研究站（簡稱草原站）進行了2年的氮磷添加實驗，結合一個1200公裡的樣地實驗和草原站27年的長期監測實驗，從時間和空間尺度充分證明，內穩性高的物種具有較高的優勢度和穩定性，內穩性高的生態系統具有較高的生產力和穩定性。研究結果表明，通過調節生物對環境因子的響應，化學計量內穩性成為生態系統結構、功能和穩定性維持的重要機理，在生態系統的相關研究中，應該充分考慮化學計量內穩性的作用。
該研究結果還可以為自然保護區的管理提供依據，研究人員建議，在自然保護區管理過程中，除了重視生物多樣性的保護，更要重點保護那些內穩性高的「關鍵種」，因為這些物種對實現生態系統的功能、保持生態系統穩定有更加重要的作用。
該項研究也是關於化學計量內穩性與生態系統結構、功能和穩定性的關係的首次研究，拓展了生態化學計量學研究的範疇。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦英文摘要：
Ecology Letters DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2010.01532.x
Linking stoichiometric homoeostasis with ecosystem structure, functioning and stability
Qiang Yu1,2,3, Quansheng Chen1, James J. Elser4, Nianpeng He1, Honghui Wu1,2, Guangming Zhang1, Jianguo Wu4,5, Yongfei Bai1, Xingguo Han1,3,*
Ecosystem structure, functioning and stability have been a focus of ecological and environmental sciences during the past two decades. The mechanisms underlying their relationship, however, are not well understood. Based on comprehensive studies in Inner Mongolia grassland, here we show that species-level stoichiometric homoeostasis was consistently positively correlated with dominance and stability on both 2-year and 27-year temporal scales and across a 1200-km spatial transect. At the community level, stoichiometric homoeostasis was also positively correlated with ecosystem function and stability in most cases. Thus, homoeostatic species tend to have high and stable biomass; and ecosystems dominated by more homoeostatic species have higher productivity and greater stability. By modulating organism responses to key environmental drivers, stoichiometric homoeostasis appears to be a major mechanism responsible for the structure, functioning and stability of grassland ecosystems.