Background:In contrast with the negligible contribution of the forest understorey to the total aboveground phytobiomass of a forest,its share in annual litter production and nutrient cycling may be more important.Whet...Background:In contrast with the negligible contribution of the forest understorey to the total aboveground phytobiomass of a forest,its share in annual litter production and nutrient cycling may be more important.Whether and how this functional role of the understorey differs across forest types and depends upon overstorey characteristics remains to be investigated.Methods:We sampled 209 plots of the FunDivEUROPE Exploratory Platform,a network of study plots covering local gradients of tree diversity spread over six contrasting forest types in Europe.To estimate the relative contribution of the understorey to carbon and nutrient cycling,we sampled non-lignified aboveground understorey biomass and overstorey leaf litterfall in all plots.Understorey samples were analysed for C,N and P concentrations,overstorey leaf litterfall for C and N concentrations.We additionally quantified a set of overstorey attributes,including species richness,proportion of evergreen species,light availability(representing crown density)and litter quality,and investigated whether they drive the understorey’s contribution to carbon and nutrient cycling.Results and conclusions:Overstorey litter production and nutrient stocks in litterfall clearly exceeded the contribution of the understorey for all forest types,and the share of the understorey was higher in forests at the extremes of the climatic gradient.In most of the investigated forest types,it was mainly light availability that determined the contribution of the understorey to yearly carbon and nutrient cycling.Overstorey species richness did not affect the contribution of the understorey to carbon and nutrient cycling in any of the investigated forest types.展开更多
The Miombo ecoregion covers eastern and southern Africa,with variations in plant species composition,structure,and biomass across a broad precipitation gradient.Most studies of woody plant communities focus exclusivel...The Miombo ecoregion covers eastern and southern Africa,with variations in plant species composition,structure,and biomass across a broad precipitation gradient.Most studies of woody plant communities focus exclusively on larger overstorey trees(≥5 or≥10cm stem diameter),overlooking the contribution of small trees and shrubs in the understorey,which can comprise a significant portion of total biomass and diversity.Here,we evaluate the contribution of both large overstorey and small understorey woody plants to species diversity and above-ground biomass(AGB),with 17 plots(0.5-1ha)across five sites representing both extremes of rainfall gradient spanning the Miombo ecoregion,in northeast Namibia(500-700mm mean annual precipitation,MAP)and southern Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC)(>1,200mm MAP).Mean AGB per site ranged from 21 to 119Mg·ha^(-1),increasing with rainfall,while the proportional AGB contribution of small trees,saplings,and shrubs decreased.In dry Namibia,small trees,saplings,and shrubs(<5cm DBH)contributed up to 28.2%of total AGB(mean±standard deviation:18.3%±3.4%),whereas in wet DRC,they contributed only up to 2.5%(2.3%±1.4%).Namibian sites,on average,contained a large proportion of woody species diversity exclusively in small trees and shrubs(<5cm DBH),with 55 species representing 59.4%of the total diversity.In contrast,DRC sites had higher overall small woody plant diversity(66 species)but fewer species found exclusively as small individuals(25.2%),with many saplings that grow to larger trees.Understorey composition also differed,with saplings of overstorey trees dominating in DRC,while shrubs dominated in Namibia.Our findings show that woody biomass and diversity in dry woodlands are substantially underestimated when studies focus only on larger trees.This highlights the need to consider all woody vegetation to better understand woody plant diversity and biomass variation.展开更多
It is well established that species mixtures could enhance ecosystem functioning in diverse ecosystem types,with these benefits increasing over time.However,the impact of tree mixtures on Collembola communities follow...It is well established that species mixtures could enhance ecosystem functioning in diverse ecosystem types,with these benefits increasing over time.However,the impact of tree mixtures on Collembola communities following stand development in natural forests remains unclear,despite the critical roles Collembola plays in litter decomposition and nutrient cycling.We investigated the effects of tree species mixtures on Collembola abundance,diversity,and community structure by sampling pure and mixed jack pine(Pinus banksiana Lamb.)and trembling aspen(Populus tremuloides Michx.)of 15-year-old and 41-year-old stands in natural boreal forest.In total,6,620 individuals of Collembola were identified as belonging to 39 species/morphospecies.Our results showed significant effects of stand types on Collembola with higher abundance and richness in conifer and mixed stands than in broadleaf stands.Additionally,with stand development,we observed increased Collembola abundance and richness.In 15-year-old stands,Collembola abundance,richness,and evenness in mixed-species stands were comparable to those in single-species stands.However,as stands developed,tree mixture effects became more pronounced,resulting in higher Collembola abundance and richness in mixed-species stands compared to the average of single-species stands in 41-year-old stands.Further,we observed positive associations between the mixture effects on Collembola abundance and richness with soil nutrient contents.We conclude that tree species mixtures can significantly enhance Collembola abundance and diversity,particularly in older stands and those with elevated soil nutrient levels.展开更多
Aims Natural and anthropogenic changes in forests can have important influences on transpiration and water production.Understanding the effects of increasing disturbances,due for example to climate change and forest h...Aims Natural and anthropogenic changes in forests can have important influences on transpiration and water production.Understanding the effects of increasing disturbances,due for example to climate change and forest harvesting,requires detailed information on how forest density and structural attributes relate to transpiration.Mean annual transpiration of eucalypt forest communities is often strongly correlated with total cross-sectional sapwood area.Our aim was to test an efficient method for estimating sapwood area at_(1.3)m height(SA_(1.3))in a large number of trees to understand the spatial heterogeneity of tree and stand sapwood area within and between forest communities,and develop allometric relationships that predict SA_(1.3)with forest inventory data.We also apply tree competition models to determine the degree to which the relationship between SA_(1.3)and tree basal area at_(1.3)m height(BABA_(1.3))is influenced by competition.Methods We visited 25 recently harvested southeastern Australian forest sites consisting of 1379 trees and 5 Eucalyptus species to evaluate a new efficient data collection method for estimating SA_(1.3)with tree taper and stump dimensions data using mixed effects models.The locations of 784 stumps within one 5-ha site were accurately mapped using an unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV),and four distance-dependent tree competition models were applied across the site to explain within-stand variation in the ratio of SA_(1.3)to BABA_(1.3).Data from 24 additional sites,consisting of ten 15 m radial plots per site,were used to analyse within-site variation in R_(Ha)(the ratio of stand sapwood area SA_(Ha)to stand basal area BABA_(Ha)).The radial plots were merged within each site to evaluate between-site variations in R_(Ha)across the landscape.For predicting SA_(Ha)with forest inventory data,we computed the relationship between SA_(Ha)and a new index of total stem perimeter per hectare,defined as√BA_(Ha)N_(T),where N_(T)is tree stocking density.Important Findings Our 1379 measured stems represent the most comprehensive measure of sapwood area,surpassing the 757 measured stems in native eucalypt forests published in literature.The species-specific R_(Ha) varied considerably across sites and therefore extrapolating SA_(Ha)with spatially distributed BABA_(Ha)maps and a generalized R_(Ha) would introduce local uncertainty.We found that the species-specific stem perimeter index was more effective at capturing variability in SA_(Ha)across the landscape using forest composition,structure and density data(R^(2):0.72–0.77).The strong correlation between tree SA_(1.3)and BABA_(1.3)improved slightly using tree competition models(R^(2)increased from 0.86 to 0.88).Relating SA_(Ha)to routinely measured forest inventory attributes within permanent plots and Light Detection and Ranging(LiDAR)data may provide opportunities to map forest water use in time and space across large areas disturbed by wildfire and logging.展开更多
基金the framework of the FunDivEUROPE project and has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme(FP7/2007–2013)under grant agreement n°265171.Dries Landuyt was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship of the Research Foundation-Flanders(FWO).Kris Verheyen was supported by the ERC Consolidator Grant 614839 that is linked with the project PASTFORWARD.
文摘Background:In contrast with the negligible contribution of the forest understorey to the total aboveground phytobiomass of a forest,its share in annual litter production and nutrient cycling may be more important.Whether and how this functional role of the understorey differs across forest types and depends upon overstorey characteristics remains to be investigated.Methods:We sampled 209 plots of the FunDivEUROPE Exploratory Platform,a network of study plots covering local gradients of tree diversity spread over six contrasting forest types in Europe.To estimate the relative contribution of the understorey to carbon and nutrient cycling,we sampled non-lignified aboveground understorey biomass and overstorey leaf litterfall in all plots.Understorey samples were analysed for C,N and P concentrations,overstorey leaf litterfall for C and N concentrations.We additionally quantified a set of overstorey attributes,including species richness,proportion of evergreen species,light availability(representing crown density)and litter quality,and investigated whether they drive the understorey’s contribution to carbon and nutrient cycling.Results and conclusions:Overstorey litter production and nutrient stocks in litterfall clearly exceeded the contribution of the understorey for all forest types,and the share of the understorey was higher in forests at the extremes of the climatic gradient.In most of the investigated forest types,it was mainly light availability that determined the contribution of the understorey to yearly carbon and nutrient cycling.Overstorey species richness did not affect the contribution of the understorey to carbon and nutrient cycling in any of the investigated forest types.
基金funded by the following grants:the Natural Environ-ment Research Council-Funded SECO Project(NE/T01279X/1)the Fostering Research&Intra-African Knowledge Transfer Through Mobility&Education(FRAME)Conservation Action Research Network(CARN)through the ASPIRE Grant Programme.
文摘The Miombo ecoregion covers eastern and southern Africa,with variations in plant species composition,structure,and biomass across a broad precipitation gradient.Most studies of woody plant communities focus exclusively on larger overstorey trees(≥5 or≥10cm stem diameter),overlooking the contribution of small trees and shrubs in the understorey,which can comprise a significant portion of total biomass and diversity.Here,we evaluate the contribution of both large overstorey and small understorey woody plants to species diversity and above-ground biomass(AGB),with 17 plots(0.5-1ha)across five sites representing both extremes of rainfall gradient spanning the Miombo ecoregion,in northeast Namibia(500-700mm mean annual precipitation,MAP)and southern Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC)(>1,200mm MAP).Mean AGB per site ranged from 21 to 119Mg·ha^(-1),increasing with rainfall,while the proportional AGB contribution of small trees,saplings,and shrubs decreased.In dry Namibia,small trees,saplings,and shrubs(<5cm DBH)contributed up to 28.2%of total AGB(mean±standard deviation:18.3%±3.4%),whereas in wet DRC,they contributed only up to 2.5%(2.3%±1.4%).Namibian sites,on average,contained a large proportion of woody species diversity exclusively in small trees and shrubs(<5cm DBH),with 55 species representing 59.4%of the total diversity.In contrast,DRC sites had higher overall small woody plant diversity(66 species)but fewer species found exclusively as small individuals(25.2%),with many saplings that grow to larger trees.Understorey composition also differed,with saplings of overstorey trees dominating in DRC,while shrubs dominated in Namibia.Our findings show that woody biomass and diversity in dry woodlands are substantially underestimated when studies focus only on larger trees.This highlights the need to consider all woody vegetation to better understand woody plant diversity and biomass variation.
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)for the Excellent Young Scientists Fund(overseas)and NSFC Grant(No.32401546)the Scientific Research Startup Fund Project of Zhejiang A&F University(Grant No.2024LFR019)the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada(RGPIN-2014-04181,STPGP428641,RTI-2017-00358,and STPGP506284).
文摘It is well established that species mixtures could enhance ecosystem functioning in diverse ecosystem types,with these benefits increasing over time.However,the impact of tree mixtures on Collembola communities following stand development in natural forests remains unclear,despite the critical roles Collembola plays in litter decomposition and nutrient cycling.We investigated the effects of tree species mixtures on Collembola abundance,diversity,and community structure by sampling pure and mixed jack pine(Pinus banksiana Lamb.)and trembling aspen(Populus tremuloides Michx.)of 15-year-old and 41-year-old stands in natural boreal forest.In total,6,620 individuals of Collembola were identified as belonging to 39 species/morphospecies.Our results showed significant effects of stand types on Collembola with higher abundance and richness in conifer and mixed stands than in broadleaf stands.Additionally,with stand development,we observed increased Collembola abundance and richness.In 15-year-old stands,Collembola abundance,richness,and evenness in mixed-species stands were comparable to those in single-species stands.However,as stands developed,tree mixture effects became more pronounced,resulting in higher Collembola abundance and richness in mixed-species stands compared to the average of single-species stands in 41-year-old stands.Further,we observed positive associations between the mixture effects on Collembola abundance and richness with soil nutrient contents.We conclude that tree species mixtures can significantly enhance Collembola abundance and diversity,particularly in older stands and those with elevated soil nutrient levels.
基金Melbourne Water and an Australian Research Council Linkage(LP110200194).
文摘Aims Natural and anthropogenic changes in forests can have important influences on transpiration and water production.Understanding the effects of increasing disturbances,due for example to climate change and forest harvesting,requires detailed information on how forest density and structural attributes relate to transpiration.Mean annual transpiration of eucalypt forest communities is often strongly correlated with total cross-sectional sapwood area.Our aim was to test an efficient method for estimating sapwood area at_(1.3)m height(SA_(1.3))in a large number of trees to understand the spatial heterogeneity of tree and stand sapwood area within and between forest communities,and develop allometric relationships that predict SA_(1.3)with forest inventory data.We also apply tree competition models to determine the degree to which the relationship between SA_(1.3)and tree basal area at_(1.3)m height(BABA_(1.3))is influenced by competition.Methods We visited 25 recently harvested southeastern Australian forest sites consisting of 1379 trees and 5 Eucalyptus species to evaluate a new efficient data collection method for estimating SA_(1.3)with tree taper and stump dimensions data using mixed effects models.The locations of 784 stumps within one 5-ha site were accurately mapped using an unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV),and four distance-dependent tree competition models were applied across the site to explain within-stand variation in the ratio of SA_(1.3)to BABA_(1.3).Data from 24 additional sites,consisting of ten 15 m radial plots per site,were used to analyse within-site variation in R_(Ha)(the ratio of stand sapwood area SA_(Ha)to stand basal area BABA_(Ha)).The radial plots were merged within each site to evaluate between-site variations in R_(Ha)across the landscape.For predicting SA_(Ha)with forest inventory data,we computed the relationship between SA_(Ha)and a new index of total stem perimeter per hectare,defined as√BA_(Ha)N_(T),where N_(T)is tree stocking density.Important Findings Our 1379 measured stems represent the most comprehensive measure of sapwood area,surpassing the 757 measured stems in native eucalypt forests published in literature.The species-specific R_(Ha) varied considerably across sites and therefore extrapolating SA_(Ha)with spatially distributed BABA_(Ha)maps and a generalized R_(Ha) would introduce local uncertainty.We found that the species-specific stem perimeter index was more effective at capturing variability in SA_(Ha)across the landscape using forest composition,structure and density data(R^(2):0.72–0.77).The strong correlation between tree SA_(1.3)and BABA_(1.3)improved slightly using tree competition models(R^(2)increased from 0.86 to 0.88).Relating SA_(Ha)to routinely measured forest inventory attributes within permanent plots and Light Detection and Ranging(LiDAR)data may provide opportunities to map forest water use in time and space across large areas disturbed by wildfire and logging.
