Background:Soil acidifcationn caused by anthropogenic activities may aft soil biochemical cydling,bidiversity,productivity,and multiple eosystem-related functions in drylands.However,to date,such information is lackin...Background:Soil acidifcationn caused by anthropogenic activities may aft soil biochemical cydling,bidiversity,productivity,and multiple eosystem-related functions in drylands.However,to date,such information is lacking to support this hypothesis.Methods Based on a transect survey of 78 naturally assembled shrub communities,we caloulated acid deposition flux in Northwest China and evaluated its likely ecological ffets by testing three altemnative hypotheses,namely:.nidche complementarity,mass ratio,and vegetation quantity hypotheses Rao's quadratic entopy and community-weighted mean traits were employed to represent the complementary aspect of niche complementarity and mass ratio effects,respectively.Resulbs:We observed that in the past four decades,the concentrations of exchangeable base cations in soil in Northwest China have decreased significantly to the extent of having faced the risk of depletion,whereas changes in the calium carbonate content and pH of soil were not significant.Adid deposition primani ly increased the aboweground biomass and shrub density in shrublands but had no sigmificant effect on shrub richness and ecasystem multifunctionality(EMF),indicating that acid deposition had positive but weak ecological effects on dryland ecosystems.Community wd ghted mean of functional traits(representing the mass ratio hypothesis)correlated negatively with EMF,whereas both Rao's quadratic entropy(representing the niche complementarity hypothesis)and aboveground biomass(representing the vegetation quantity hypothesis)correlated positively but insignifcantly with EMF.These biodiversity-EMF relationships highlight the fragility and instability of drylands relative to forest ecasystems.Concuions:The findings from this study serve as important reference points to understand the ris of soil acidification in arid regions and its impacts on biodiversity-EMF relationships.展开更多
Background: Forest productivity has a pivotal role in human well-being. Vegetation quantity, niche complementarity, mass-ratio, and soil resources are alternative/complementary ecological mechanisms driving productivi...Background: Forest productivity has a pivotal role in human well-being. Vegetation quantity, niche complementarity, mass-ratio, and soil resources are alternative/complementary ecological mechanisms driving productivity. One challenge in current forest management depends on identifying and manipulating these mechanisms to enhance productivity. This study assessed the extent to which these mechanisms control aboveground biomass productivity(AGBP) of a Chilean mediterranean-type matorral. AGBP measured as tree aboveground biomass changes over a 7-years period, was estimated for twelve 25 m × 25 m plots across a wide range of matorral compositions and structures. Variables related to canopy structure, species and functional diversity, species and functional dominance, soil texture, soil water and soil nitrogen content were measured as surrogates of the four mechanisms proposed. Linear regression models were used to test the hypotheses. A multimodel inference based on the Akaike’s information criterion was used to select the best models explaining AGBP and for identifying the relative importance of each mechanism.Results: Vegetation quantity(tree density) and mass-ratio(relative biomass of Cryptocarya alba, a conservative species) were the strongest drivers increasing AGBP, while niche complementarity(richness species) and soil resources(sand, %) had a smaller effect either decreasing or increasing AGBP, respectively. This study provides the first assessment of alternative mechanisms driving AGBP in mediterranean forests of Chile. There is strong evidence suggesting that the vegetation quantity and mass-ratio mechanisms are key drivers of AGBP, such as in other tropical and temperate forests. However, in contrast with other studies from mediterranean-type forests, our results show a negative effect of species diversity and a small effect of soil resources on AGBP.Conclusion: AGBP in the Chilean matorral depends mainly on the vegetation quantity and mass-ratio mechanisms.The findings of this study have implications for matorral restoration and management for the production of timber and non-timber products and carbon sequestration.展开更多
Background:The importance of biodiversity in maintaining multiple ecosystem functions has been widely accepted.However,the specific mechanisms affecting biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality(BEMF)relationships...Background:The importance of biodiversity in maintaining multiple ecosystem functions has been widely accepted.However,the specific mechanisms affecting biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality(BEMF)relationships in forests are largely unknown.This is particularly evident for the macroscale of a large forested landscape.Methods:Based on 412 one-tenth hectare field plots distributed over forested areas across northeastern China,we evaluated three alternative hypotheses explaining the relationships between BEMF,namely:niche complementarity,mass ratio,and vegetation quantity effect.We used Rao's quadratic entropy and community weighted mean trait values to quantify forest“biodiversity”.These two variables represent two complementary aspects of functional properties,which are in line with niche complementary and mass ratio effects,respectively.Results:Ecosystem multifunctionality was negatively associated with the community weighted mean values of acquisitive traits(a proxy of mass ratio effect).Rao's quadratic entropy(a proxy of niche complementarity)had no relationship with ecosystem multifunctionality.Higher stand biomass greatly increased ecosystem multifunctionality,which is in line with the vegetation quantity effect.Our results confirm that in the temperate forests of northeastern China,the relationship of BEMF was primarily affected by vegetation quantity,followed by mass ratio effects.Conclusions:The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the main drivers of ecosystem multifunctionality in forest ecosystems.The results of this study provide additional evidence to support the vegetation quantity and mass ratio hypotheses in forest ecosystems.展开更多
The resorption of nutrients by plants before litter fall and the mineralization of nutrients from plant litter by soil processes are both important pathways supporting primary productivity. While the positive relation...The resorption of nutrients by plants before litter fall and the mineralization of nutrients from plant litter by soil processes are both important pathways supporting primary productivity. While the positive relationship between plant biodiversity and primary productivity is widely accepted for natural ecosystems, the roles of nutrient resorption and mineralization in mediating that relationship remains largely unknown. Here, we quantified the relative importance of nitrogen(N) resorption and N mineralization in driving plant community N investment and the correlation between species diversity and community productivity along an N-limited successional chronosequence of the mixed broadleaved–Korean pine(Pinus koraiensis) forest in northeastern China. Leaf N resorption efficiency(NRE) at the community level increased significantly along the successional chronosequence,whereas litter N mineralization rate decreased significantly. Leaf NRE was more important than litter N mineralization rate in driving the diversity–productivity relationship. However, higher leaf NRE led to less N mineralization as succession progressed along the chronosequence. Our results highlight the importance of the N resorption pathway rather than the N mineralization pathway for forest N acquisition with community succession,and they provide mechanistic insights into the positive effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning. In future forest management practices, we recommend appropriate application of N fertilizer to mitigate the adverse effects of N-poor soil on seedling regeneration during late succession and thus maintain the sustainable development of temperate forest ecosystems.展开更多
The influences of trait diversity(i.e.,the niche complementarity effect)and functional composition(i.e.,the mass ratio effect)on aboveground biomass(AGB)is a highly debated topic in forest ecology.Therefore,further st...The influences of trait diversity(i.e.,the niche complementarity effect)and functional composition(i.e.,the mass ratio effect)on aboveground biomass(AGB)is a highly debated topic in forest ecology.Therefore,further studies are needed to explore these mechanisms in unstudied forest ecosystems to enhance our understanding,and to provide guidelines for specific forest management.Here,we hypothesized that functional composition would drive AGB better than trait diversity and stem size inequality in the(sub-)tropical forests of Nepal.Using data from 101 forest plots,we tested 25 structural equation models(SEMs)to link elevation,stem DBH inequality,trait diversity(i.e.,trait richness,evenness,dispersion and divergence),functional composition[i.e.,community-weighted of maximum height mean(CWM of Hmax),specific leaf area(CWM of SLA),leaf dry matter content(CWM of LDMC),and wood density(CWM of WD)]and AGB.The best-fitted SEMs indicated that CWM of Hmax promoted AGB while overruling the impacts of trait diversity indices on AGB.However,low trait diversity indices were linked with higher AGB while overruling the effects of CWM of SLA,LDMC and WD on AGB.In addition,AGB decreased with increasing elevation,whereas stem size inequality did not influence AGB.Our results suggest that divergent species’functional strategies could shape AGB along an altitudinal gradient in tropical forests.We argue that forest management practices should include plant functional traits in the management plan for the co-benefits of biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration that underpins human wellbeing.展开更多
Plants require a number of essential elements in different proportions for ensuring their growth and development.The elemental concentrations in leaves reflect the functions and adaptations of plants under specific en...Plants require a number of essential elements in different proportions for ensuring their growth and development.The elemental concentrations in leaves reflect the functions and adaptations of plants under specific environmental conditions.However,less is known about how the spectrum of leaf elements associated with resource acquisition,photosynthesis and growth regulates forest biomass along broad elevational gradients.We examined the influence of leaf element distribution and diversity on forest biomass by analyzing ten elements(C,N,P,K,Ca,Mg,Zn,Fe,Cu,and Mn)in tree communities situated every 100 meters along an extensive elevation gradient,ranging from the tropical forest(80 meters above sea level)to the alpine treeline(4200 meters above sea level)in the Kangchenjunga Landscape in eastern Nepal Himalayas.We calculated communityweighted averages(reflecting dominant traits governing biomass,i.e.,mass-ratio effect)and functional divergence(reflecting increased trait variety,i.e.,complementarity effect)for leaf elements in a total of 1,859 trees representing 116 species.An increasing mass-ratio effect and decreasing complementarity in leaf elements enhance forest biomass accumulation.A combination of elements together with elevation explains biomass(52.2%of the variance)better than individual elemental trait diversity(0.05%to 21%of the variance).Elevation modulates trait diversity among plant species in biomass accumulation.Complementarity promotes biomass at lower elevations,but reduces biomass at higher elevations,demonstrating an interaction between elevation and complementarity.The interaction between elevation and mass-ratio effect produces heterogeneous effects on biomass along the elevation gradient.Our research indicates that biomass accumulation can be disproportionately affected by elevation due to interactions among trait diversities across vegetation zones.While higher trait variation enhances the adaptation of species to environmental changes,it reduces biomass accumulation,especially at higher elevations.展开更多
Aims Fine roots play an important role in the biogeochemical cycles of terrestrial ecosystems and are vital for understanding forest ecosystem functioning and services.Higher plant species diversity has been largely r...Aims Fine roots play an important role in the biogeochemical cycles of terrestrial ecosystems and are vital for understanding forest ecosystem functioning and services.Higher plant species diversity has been largely reported to increase aboveground community biomass,but how biodiversity affects fine-root production and the related mechanisms in forests remain unclear.In this study,we aim to answer two questions:(i)does fine-root production increase with tree species richness?(ii)Can this effect be explained by niche complementarity among species?Methods We analyzed data from a large forest biodiversity experiment(BEF-China)with 5-year-old trees.Fine-root growth was measured as standing biomass and annual fine-root regrowth was estimated using ingrowth cores.Moreover,relative yield was calculated to test whether over-or under-yielding occurred when mixtures were compared with the average monoculture of the species included in the mixtures.We calculated functional diversity for fine-root(≤2 mm in diameter)traits by Rao’s quadratic entropy index for each species mixture.The effects of manipulated tree species richness and identity on fine-root traits were analyzed with linear mixed-effects models.Mixed models were also used to test the relationships between tree species richness and fine-root standing biomass,annual regrowth and vertical heterogeneity.Important Findings Fine roots of more than one species were found in half of the soil cores in mixtures indicating that belowground interactions in these young forest stands occurred much earlier than canopy closure.We found significant differences among species in fine-root traits such as diameter and specific root length(SRL),which suggested different resource-use strategies and niche partitioning among species.Mean fine-root diameter of species ranged from 0.31 to 0.74 mm,mean SRL ranged from 12.43 m·g^(−1)to 70.22 m·g^(−1)and mean vertical distribution indexβranged from 0.68 to 0.93.There was a significant positive relationship between species richness and the evenness of the vertical distribution of fine-root standing biomass.Moreover,marginally significant positive relationships existed between species richness and standing biomass as well as annual regrowth of fine roots.Relative yields and Rao’s quadratic entropy index were both not significantly affected by species richness.However,the relative yield of fine-root standing biomass was marginally correlated with Rao’s quadratic entropy index,implying that belowground niche complementarity between species does contribute to diversity effects.In conclusion,our study showed positive effects of species richness on the filling of soil volume by fine roots in the studied experimental forest communities.This has positive effects on fine-root standing biomass and may also lead to increased aboveground biomass.展开更多
Background:Regarding the most important ecological challenges,scientists are increasingly debating the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function.Despite this,several experimental and theoretical researc...Background:Regarding the most important ecological challenges,scientists are increasingly debating the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function.Despite this,several experimental and theoretical researches have shown inconsistencies in biodiversity and ecosystem function relationships,supporting either the niche complementarity or selection effect hypothesis.The relationship between species diversity,functional diversity,and aboveground biomass carbon was investigated in this study employing standing aboveground carbon(AGC)stock as a proxy measure for ecosystem function.We hypothesized that(i)effects of diversity on AGC can be transmitted through functional diversity and functional dominance;(ii)effects of diversity on AGC would be greater for functional dominance than functional diversity;and(iii)effects of functional diversity and functional dominance on carbon stock varied with metrics and functional traits.Community-weighted means(CWM)of functional traits(wood density,specific leaf area,and maximum plant height)were calculated to assess functional dominance(selection effects).As for functional diversity(complementarity effects),multi-trait functional diversity(selection effects)indices were computed.We tested the first hypothesis using structural equation modeling.For the second hypothesis,the effects of environmental variables such as slope,aspect,and elevation were tested first,and separate linear mixed-effects models were fitted afterward for functional diversity,functional dominance,and the two together.Results:Results revealed that slope had a significant effect on aboveground carbon storage.Functional diversity and functional dominance were significant predictors of the aboveground carbon storage(22.4%)in the dry evergreen Afromontane forest.The effects of species richness on aboveground carbon storage were mediated by functional diversity and functional dominance of species.This shows that both the selection effects and the niche complementarity are important for aboveground carbon storage prediction.However,the functional diversity effects(niche complementarity)were greater than functional dominance effects(selection effects).Conclusions:Linking diversity and biodiversity components to aboveground carbon provides better insights into the mechanisms that explain variation in aboveground carbon storage in natural forests,which may help improve the prediction of ecosystem functions.展开更多
Background:Current theories on biodiversity-carbon sequestration relationship describe biodiversity as an important factor influencing carbon storage,either through complementarity effect or by mass ratio effect.So fa...Background:Current theories on biodiversity-carbon sequestration relationship describe biodiversity as an important factor influencing carbon storage,either through complementarity effect or by mass ratio effect.So far,the expected form of biodiversity-carbon relationships in tropical ecosystems has not been known with certainty.Therefore,we explored the relationship between aboveground carbon stock and different biodiversity measurement indices(i.e.,species richness,species diversity,species evenness,and functional diversity)in different land cover types of Eastern Ethiopia.A total of 48 plots were established using stratified random sampling.Vegetation parameters such as diameter at breast height,diameter at stump height,tree height,and species type were recorded.Results:We found that the average aboveground carbon stock of the study area is 147.6±17.2 t ha^(−1)(mean,SE)across land cover types.Species richness,Shannon index,and functional diversity together explained 73.5%,61.4%,58.9%,and 52.0%of the variation in aboveground carbon storage in woodland,riparian forest,bushland,and farmland,respectively.Functional diversity was a significant predictor explaining the total aboveground carbon stocks(26.7%)across the land cover types.The effects of biodiversity on aboveground carbon storage were mediated by functional diversity and presence and dominance of species.This shows that both the selection effects and the niche complementarity are important for carbon storage.However,the impact of functional diversity effects(niche complementarity)was higher than that of functional dominance effects(selection effects).Conclusions:Implementation of protected area-based ecosystem conservation practices in the country seems feasible to mitigate climate change and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation(REDD+)programme should emphasize on biodiversity conservation.展开更多
Less attention has been given to soil enzymes that contribute to beneficial rhizosphere interactions in intercropping systems.Therefore,we performed a field experiment by growing faba bean,lupine,and maize in mono and...Less attention has been given to soil enzymes that contribute to beneficial rhizosphere interactions in intercropping systems.Therefore,we performed a field experiment by growing faba bean,lupine,and maize in mono and mixed cultures in a moderately fertile soil.We measured shoot biomass and the kinetic parameters(maximal velocity(V max)and Michaelis-constant(K m))of three key enzymes in the rhizosphere:Leucine-aminopeptidase(LAP),β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase(NAG),and phosphomonoesterase(PHO).Faba bean benefitted in mixed cultures by greater shoot biomass production with both maize and lupine compared to its expected biomass in monoculture.Next,LAP and NAG kinetic parameters were less responsive to mono and mixed cultures across the crop species.In contrast,both the V max and K m values of PHO increased in the faba bean rhizosphere when grown in mixed cultures with maize and lupine.A positive relative interaction index for shoot P and N uptake for faba bean showed its net facilitative interactions in the mixed cultures.Overall,these results suggest that over-productivity in intercropping is crop-specific and the positive intercropping effects could be modulated by P availability.We argue that the enzyme activities involved in nutrient cycling should be incorporated in further research.展开更多
基金financially supported by the third xinjiang scientific expedition program (grant no.2022xjkk0901)the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No.XDA2006030102)the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(No.42171068 and No.42330503)。
文摘Background:Soil acidifcationn caused by anthropogenic activities may aft soil biochemical cydling,bidiversity,productivity,and multiple eosystem-related functions in drylands.However,to date,such information is lacking to support this hypothesis.Methods Based on a transect survey of 78 naturally assembled shrub communities,we caloulated acid deposition flux in Northwest China and evaluated its likely ecological ffets by testing three altemnative hypotheses,namely:.nidche complementarity,mass ratio,and vegetation quantity hypotheses Rao's quadratic entopy and community-weighted mean traits were employed to represent the complementary aspect of niche complementarity and mass ratio effects,respectively.Resulbs:We observed that in the past four decades,the concentrations of exchangeable base cations in soil in Northwest China have decreased significantly to the extent of having faced the risk of depletion,whereas changes in the calium carbonate content and pH of soil were not significant.Adid deposition primani ly increased the aboweground biomass and shrub density in shrublands but had no sigmificant effect on shrub richness and ecasystem multifunctionality(EMF),indicating that acid deposition had positive but weak ecological effects on dryland ecosystems.Community wd ghted mean of functional traits(representing the mass ratio hypothesis)correlated negatively with EMF,whereas both Rao's quadratic entropy(representing the niche complementarity hypothesis)and aboveground biomass(representing the vegetation quantity hypothesis)correlated positively but insignifcantly with EMF.These biodiversity-EMF relationships highlight the fragility and instability of drylands relative to forest ecasystems.Concuions:The findings from this study serve as important reference points to understand the ris of soil acidification in arid regions and its impacts on biodiversity-EMF relationships.
基金Funding for this research was obtained from CONICy T(Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica)for the grant Fondecyt No1150877funding was derived from the CONICy T doctoral grant No 21150802
文摘Background: Forest productivity has a pivotal role in human well-being. Vegetation quantity, niche complementarity, mass-ratio, and soil resources are alternative/complementary ecological mechanisms driving productivity. One challenge in current forest management depends on identifying and manipulating these mechanisms to enhance productivity. This study assessed the extent to which these mechanisms control aboveground biomass productivity(AGBP) of a Chilean mediterranean-type matorral. AGBP measured as tree aboveground biomass changes over a 7-years period, was estimated for twelve 25 m × 25 m plots across a wide range of matorral compositions and structures. Variables related to canopy structure, species and functional diversity, species and functional dominance, soil texture, soil water and soil nitrogen content were measured as surrogates of the four mechanisms proposed. Linear regression models were used to test the hypotheses. A multimodel inference based on the Akaike’s information criterion was used to select the best models explaining AGBP and for identifying the relative importance of each mechanism.Results: Vegetation quantity(tree density) and mass-ratio(relative biomass of Cryptocarya alba, a conservative species) were the strongest drivers increasing AGBP, while niche complementarity(richness species) and soil resources(sand, %) had a smaller effect either decreasing or increasing AGBP, respectively. This study provides the first assessment of alternative mechanisms driving AGBP in mediterranean forests of Chile. There is strong evidence suggesting that the vegetation quantity and mass-ratio mechanisms are key drivers of AGBP, such as in other tropical and temperate forests. However, in contrast with other studies from mediterranean-type forests, our results show a negative effect of species diversity and a small effect of soil resources on AGBP.Conclusion: AGBP in the Chilean matorral depends mainly on the vegetation quantity and mass-ratio mechanisms.The findings of this study have implications for matorral restoration and management for the production of timber and non-timber products and carbon sequestration.
基金supported by the Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31971650)the Key Project of National Key Research and Development Plan(No.2017YFC0504005)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31800362).
文摘Background:The importance of biodiversity in maintaining multiple ecosystem functions has been widely accepted.However,the specific mechanisms affecting biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality(BEMF)relationships in forests are largely unknown.This is particularly evident for the macroscale of a large forested landscape.Methods:Based on 412 one-tenth hectare field plots distributed over forested areas across northeastern China,we evaluated three alternative hypotheses explaining the relationships between BEMF,namely:niche complementarity,mass ratio,and vegetation quantity effect.We used Rao's quadratic entropy and community weighted mean trait values to quantify forest“biodiversity”.These two variables represent two complementary aspects of functional properties,which are in line with niche complementary and mass ratio effects,respectively.Results:Ecosystem multifunctionality was negatively associated with the community weighted mean values of acquisitive traits(a proxy of mass ratio effect).Rao's quadratic entropy(a proxy of niche complementarity)had no relationship with ecosystem multifunctionality.Higher stand biomass greatly increased ecosystem multifunctionality,which is in line with the vegetation quantity effect.Our results confirm that in the temperate forests of northeastern China,the relationship of BEMF was primarily affected by vegetation quantity,followed by mass ratio effects.Conclusions:The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the main drivers of ecosystem multifunctionality in forest ecosystems.The results of this study provide additional evidence to support the vegetation quantity and mass ratio hypotheses in forest ecosystems.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32071533)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China(2572020AW13)。
文摘The resorption of nutrients by plants before litter fall and the mineralization of nutrients from plant litter by soil processes are both important pathways supporting primary productivity. While the positive relationship between plant biodiversity and primary productivity is widely accepted for natural ecosystems, the roles of nutrient resorption and mineralization in mediating that relationship remains largely unknown. Here, we quantified the relative importance of nitrogen(N) resorption and N mineralization in driving plant community N investment and the correlation between species diversity and community productivity along an N-limited successional chronosequence of the mixed broadleaved–Korean pine(Pinus koraiensis) forest in northeastern China. Leaf N resorption efficiency(NRE) at the community level increased significantly along the successional chronosequence,whereas litter N mineralization rate decreased significantly. Leaf NRE was more important than litter N mineralization rate in driving the diversity–productivity relationship. However, higher leaf NRE led to less N mineralization as succession progressed along the chronosequence. Our results highlight the importance of the N resorption pathway rather than the N mineralization pathway for forest N acquisition with community succession,and they provide mechanistic insights into the positive effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning. In future forest management practices, we recommend appropriate application of N fertilizer to mitigate the adverse effects of N-poor soil on seedling regeneration during late succession and thus maintain the sustainable development of temperate forest ecosystems.
基金supported by the Jiangsu Science and Technology Special Project(Grant No.BX2019084)Research Startup Funding at Nanjing Forestry University(Grant No.163010230)the Faculty Startup Funding(to Arshad Ali)for establishing Forest Ecology Research Group at Hebei University(Special Project No.521100221033)。
文摘The influences of trait diversity(i.e.,the niche complementarity effect)and functional composition(i.e.,the mass ratio effect)on aboveground biomass(AGB)is a highly debated topic in forest ecology.Therefore,further studies are needed to explore these mechanisms in unstudied forest ecosystems to enhance our understanding,and to provide guidelines for specific forest management.Here,we hypothesized that functional composition would drive AGB better than trait diversity and stem size inequality in the(sub-)tropical forests of Nepal.Using data from 101 forest plots,we tested 25 structural equation models(SEMs)to link elevation,stem DBH inequality,trait diversity(i.e.,trait richness,evenness,dispersion and divergence),functional composition[i.e.,community-weighted of maximum height mean(CWM of Hmax),specific leaf area(CWM of SLA),leaf dry matter content(CWM of LDMC),and wood density(CWM of WD)]and AGB.The best-fitted SEMs indicated that CWM of Hmax promoted AGB while overruling the impacts of trait diversity indices on AGB.However,low trait diversity indices were linked with higher AGB while overruling the effects of CWM of SLA,LDMC and WD on AGB.In addition,AGB decreased with increasing elevation,whereas stem size inequality did not influence AGB.Our results suggest that divergent species’functional strategies could shape AGB along an altitudinal gradient in tropical forests.We argue that forest management practices should include plant functional traits in the management plan for the co-benefits of biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration that underpins human wellbeing.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.42030508)the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(Grant No.2019QZKK0301)+3 种基金supported by CAS-TWAS President’s Fellowship Program for International Ph.D.studentssupported by Spanish Government(Grant Nos.PID2019-110521GB-I00 and TED2021-132627B-I00)the Catalan Government(Grant No.SGR 2017-1005)and the Fundación“Ramón Areces”(Grant No.CIVP20A6621)supported by the Spanish Government(Grant No.RTI2018-096884-B-C31)。
文摘Plants require a number of essential elements in different proportions for ensuring their growth and development.The elemental concentrations in leaves reflect the functions and adaptations of plants under specific environmental conditions.However,less is known about how the spectrum of leaf elements associated with resource acquisition,photosynthesis and growth regulates forest biomass along broad elevational gradients.We examined the influence of leaf element distribution and diversity on forest biomass by analyzing ten elements(C,N,P,K,Ca,Mg,Zn,Fe,Cu,and Mn)in tree communities situated every 100 meters along an extensive elevation gradient,ranging from the tropical forest(80 meters above sea level)to the alpine treeline(4200 meters above sea level)in the Kangchenjunga Landscape in eastern Nepal Himalayas.We calculated communityweighted averages(reflecting dominant traits governing biomass,i.e.,mass-ratio effect)and functional divergence(reflecting increased trait variety,i.e.,complementarity effect)for leaf elements in a total of 1,859 trees representing 116 species.An increasing mass-ratio effect and decreasing complementarity in leaf elements enhance forest biomass accumulation.A combination of elements together with elevation explains biomass(52.2%of the variance)better than individual elemental trait diversity(0.05%to 21%of the variance).Elevation modulates trait diversity among plant species in biomass accumulation.Complementarity promotes biomass at lower elevations,but reduces biomass at higher elevations,demonstrating an interaction between elevation and complementarity.The interaction between elevation and mass-ratio effect produces heterogeneous effects on biomass along the elevation gradient.Our research indicates that biomass accumulation can be disproportionately affected by elevation due to interactions among trait diversities across vegetation zones.While higher trait variation enhances the adaptation of species to environmental changes,it reduces biomass accumulation,especially at higher elevations.
基金the general support of the whole BEF-China teamthe Sino-German Centre for Research Promotion in Beijing for travel grants and the participation in a summer school on scientific writing(GZ 785)funded by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31270496 and No.31300353).
文摘Aims Fine roots play an important role in the biogeochemical cycles of terrestrial ecosystems and are vital for understanding forest ecosystem functioning and services.Higher plant species diversity has been largely reported to increase aboveground community biomass,but how biodiversity affects fine-root production and the related mechanisms in forests remain unclear.In this study,we aim to answer two questions:(i)does fine-root production increase with tree species richness?(ii)Can this effect be explained by niche complementarity among species?Methods We analyzed data from a large forest biodiversity experiment(BEF-China)with 5-year-old trees.Fine-root growth was measured as standing biomass and annual fine-root regrowth was estimated using ingrowth cores.Moreover,relative yield was calculated to test whether over-or under-yielding occurred when mixtures were compared with the average monoculture of the species included in the mixtures.We calculated functional diversity for fine-root(≤2 mm in diameter)traits by Rao’s quadratic entropy index for each species mixture.The effects of manipulated tree species richness and identity on fine-root traits were analyzed with linear mixed-effects models.Mixed models were also used to test the relationships between tree species richness and fine-root standing biomass,annual regrowth and vertical heterogeneity.Important Findings Fine roots of more than one species were found in half of the soil cores in mixtures indicating that belowground interactions in these young forest stands occurred much earlier than canopy closure.We found significant differences among species in fine-root traits such as diameter and specific root length(SRL),which suggested different resource-use strategies and niche partitioning among species.Mean fine-root diameter of species ranged from 0.31 to 0.74 mm,mean SRL ranged from 12.43 m·g^(−1)to 70.22 m·g^(−1)and mean vertical distribution indexβranged from 0.68 to 0.93.There was a significant positive relationship between species richness and the evenness of the vertical distribution of fine-root standing biomass.Moreover,marginally significant positive relationships existed between species richness and standing biomass as well as annual regrowth of fine roots.Relative yields and Rao’s quadratic entropy index were both not significantly affected by species richness.However,the relative yield of fine-root standing biomass was marginally correlated with Rao’s quadratic entropy index,implying that belowground niche complementarity between species does contribute to diversity effects.In conclusion,our study showed positive effects of species richness on the filling of soil volume by fine roots in the studied experimental forest communities.This has positive effects on fine-root standing biomass and may also lead to increased aboveground biomass.
基金funding for this research from Oda Bultum University,Ethiopia。
文摘Background:Regarding the most important ecological challenges,scientists are increasingly debating the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function.Despite this,several experimental and theoretical researches have shown inconsistencies in biodiversity and ecosystem function relationships,supporting either the niche complementarity or selection effect hypothesis.The relationship between species diversity,functional diversity,and aboveground biomass carbon was investigated in this study employing standing aboveground carbon(AGC)stock as a proxy measure for ecosystem function.We hypothesized that(i)effects of diversity on AGC can be transmitted through functional diversity and functional dominance;(ii)effects of diversity on AGC would be greater for functional dominance than functional diversity;and(iii)effects of functional diversity and functional dominance on carbon stock varied with metrics and functional traits.Community-weighted means(CWM)of functional traits(wood density,specific leaf area,and maximum plant height)were calculated to assess functional dominance(selection effects).As for functional diversity(complementarity effects),multi-trait functional diversity(selection effects)indices were computed.We tested the first hypothesis using structural equation modeling.For the second hypothesis,the effects of environmental variables such as slope,aspect,and elevation were tested first,and separate linear mixed-effects models were fitted afterward for functional diversity,functional dominance,and the two together.Results:Results revealed that slope had a significant effect on aboveground carbon storage.Functional diversity and functional dominance were significant predictors of the aboveground carbon storage(22.4%)in the dry evergreen Afromontane forest.The effects of species richness on aboveground carbon storage were mediated by functional diversity and functional dominance of species.This shows that both the selection effects and the niche complementarity are important for aboveground carbon storage prediction.However,the functional diversity effects(niche complementarity)were greater than functional dominance effects(selection effects).Conclusions:Linking diversity and biodiversity components to aboveground carbon provides better insights into the mechanisms that explain variation in aboveground carbon storage in natural forests,which may help improve the prediction of ecosystem functions.
文摘Background:Current theories on biodiversity-carbon sequestration relationship describe biodiversity as an important factor influencing carbon storage,either through complementarity effect or by mass ratio effect.So far,the expected form of biodiversity-carbon relationships in tropical ecosystems has not been known with certainty.Therefore,we explored the relationship between aboveground carbon stock and different biodiversity measurement indices(i.e.,species richness,species diversity,species evenness,and functional diversity)in different land cover types of Eastern Ethiopia.A total of 48 plots were established using stratified random sampling.Vegetation parameters such as diameter at breast height,diameter at stump height,tree height,and species type were recorded.Results:We found that the average aboveground carbon stock of the study area is 147.6±17.2 t ha^(−1)(mean,SE)across land cover types.Species richness,Shannon index,and functional diversity together explained 73.5%,61.4%,58.9%,and 52.0%of the variation in aboveground carbon storage in woodland,riparian forest,bushland,and farmland,respectively.Functional diversity was a significant predictor explaining the total aboveground carbon stocks(26.7%)across the land cover types.The effects of biodiversity on aboveground carbon storage were mediated by functional diversity and presence and dominance of species.This shows that both the selection effects and the niche complementarity are important for carbon storage.However,the impact of functional diversity effects(niche complementarity)was higher than that of functional dominance effects(selection effects).Conclusions:Implementation of protected area-based ecosystem conservation practices in the country seems feasible to mitigate climate change and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation(REDD+)programme should emphasize on biodiversity conservation.
文摘Less attention has been given to soil enzymes that contribute to beneficial rhizosphere interactions in intercropping systems.Therefore,we performed a field experiment by growing faba bean,lupine,and maize in mono and mixed cultures in a moderately fertile soil.We measured shoot biomass and the kinetic parameters(maximal velocity(V max)and Michaelis-constant(K m))of three key enzymes in the rhizosphere:Leucine-aminopeptidase(LAP),β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase(NAG),and phosphomonoesterase(PHO).Faba bean benefitted in mixed cultures by greater shoot biomass production with both maize and lupine compared to its expected biomass in monoculture.Next,LAP and NAG kinetic parameters were less responsive to mono and mixed cultures across the crop species.In contrast,both the V max and K m values of PHO increased in the faba bean rhizosphere when grown in mixed cultures with maize and lupine.A positive relative interaction index for shoot P and N uptake for faba bean showed its net facilitative interactions in the mixed cultures.Overall,these results suggest that over-productivity in intercropping is crop-specific and the positive intercropping effects could be modulated by P availability.We argue that the enzyme activities involved in nutrient cycling should be incorporated in further research.
