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- Title
Aboveground carbon storage is driven by functional trait composition and stand structural attributes rather than biodiversity in temperate mixed forests recovering from disturbances.
- Authors
Yuan, Zuoqiang; Wang, Shaopeng; Ali, Arshad; Gazol, Antonio; Ruiz-Benito, Paloma; Wang, Xugao; Lin, Fei; Ye, Ji; Hao, Zhanqing; Loreau, Michel
- Abstract
Key message: Functional trait composition and stand structural complexity rather than biodiversity substantially enhance aboveground carbon storage in temperate mixed forests, while accounting for the effects of disturbance intensity. This study provides a strong support to the mass ratio effect in addition to the niche differentiation and facilitation effects.Context: The underlying mechanisms for the relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem function remain hotly debated for the last four decades.Aims: We tested how do biodiversity, functional trait composition, stand structural attributes, and topographic variables explain aboveground C storage under different disturbance regimes.Methods: We used linear mixed effects and structural equation models to simultaneously evaluate the effects of biodiversity, stand structure attributes, functional trait composition, and topographic variables on aboveground C storage while considering for the effects of disturbance intensity. We used biophysical data from 260 plots within 11 permanent temperate mixed forests in Northeastern China.Results: Aboveground C storage was driven by stand basal area, individual tree size inequality, community-weighted mean of maximum height and wood density, and diversity (functional evenness and mean nearest taxon distance). The structural equation model showed that aboveground C storage was positively affected by individual tree size inequality and trait composition (i.e., CWM of maximum height), after accounting for the strongest negative direct and indirect effects of disturbance intensity.Conclusion: Conserving functional identity of species and maintaining complex stand structure would be the alternative choices for higher aboveground C storage in temperate mixed forests.
- Subjects
CARBON sequestration in forests; FOREST biodiversity; MIXED forests; ECOLOGICAL disturbances; STRUCTURAL equation modeling
- Publication
Annals of Forest Science (BioMed Central), 2018, Vol 75, Issue 3, p1
- ISSN
1286-4560
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s13595-018-0745-3