No generality in biodiversity-productivity relationships along elevation in temperate and subtropical forest landscapes

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftForschungsartikelBeigetragenBegutachtung

Beitragende

  • Jiayun Zou - , Professur für Forstzoologie, Technische Universität München, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Autor:in)
  • Yahuang Luo - , Chinese Academy of Sciences (Autor:in)
  • Rupert Seidl - , Technische Universität München (Autor:in)
  • Dominik Thom - , Technische Universität München, University of Vermont (Autor:in)
  • Jie Liu - , Chinese Academy of Sciences (Autor:in)
  • Lisa Geres - , Technische Universität München, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main (Autor:in)
  • Tobias Richter - , Technische Universität München (Autor:in)
  • Linjiang Ye - , Chinese Academy of Sciences (Autor:in)
  • Wei Zheng - , Chinese Academy of Sciences (Autor:in)
  • Liangliang Ma - , Chinese Academy of Sciences (Autor:in)
  • Jie Song - , Chinese Academy of Sciences (Autor:in)
  • Kun Xu - , Chinese Academy of Sciences (Autor:in)
  • Dezhu Li - , Chinese Academy of Sciences (Autor:in)
  • Lianming Gao - , Chinese Academy of Sciences (Autor:in)
  • Sebastian Seibold - , Professur für Forstzoologie, Technische Universität München (Autor:in)

Abstract

An improved understanding of biodiversity-productivity relationships (BPRs) along environmental gradients is crucial for effective ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation. The stress-gradient hypothesis suggests that BPRs are stronger in stressful environments compared to more favorable conditions. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the variation of BPRs along elevational gradients and their generality across different landscapes. To study how BPRs change with elevation, we harnessed inventory data on 6,431 trees from 152 plots surveyed twice in eight to ten year intervals in mountain forests of temperate Europe and subtropical Asia. We quantified the relationship between aboveground productivity and different biodiversity measures, including taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity. To elucidate the processes underlying BPRs, we studied the variation of different functional traits along elevation across landscapes. We found no general pattern of BPRs across landscapes and elevations. Relationships were neutral for all biodiversity measures in temperate forests, and negative for taxonomic and functional diversity in subtropical forests. BPRs were largely congruent between taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity. We found only weak support for the stress-gradient hypothesis, with BPRs turning from negative to positive (effect not significant) close to the tree line in subtropical forests. In temperate forests, however, elevation patterns were strongly modulated by species identity effects as influenced by specific traits. The effect of traits such as community-weighted mean of maximum plant height and wood density on productivity was congruent across landscapes. Our study highlights the context-dependence of BPRs across elevation gradients and landscapes. Species traits are key modulating factors of BPRs and should be considered more explicitly in studies of the functional role of biodiversity. Furthermore, our findings highlight that potential trade-offs between conserving biodiversity and fostering ecosystem productivity exist, which require more attention in policy and management.

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Aufsatznummer100187
Seitenumfang11
FachzeitschriftForest Ecosystems
Jahrgang11
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - Jan. 2024
Peer-Review-StatusJa

Externe IDs

Scopus 85189521580
ORCID /0000-0002-7968-4489/work/168207963
ORCID /0000-0001-6927-2782/work/168207976

Schlagworte

Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung

Schlagwörter

  • Biodiversity-ecosystem functioning, Climate mitigation, Elevation gradients, Forest management, Forest productivity, Functional traits, Nature conservation, Phylogenetic diversity