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Forest Ecosystems 2023, 10(2): 100093 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fecs.2023.100093
Research Article | Open Access | Issue | Published: 07 February 2023

Plant functional trait diversity and structural diversity co-underpin ecosystem multifunctionality in subtropical forests

Show Author's Information Shuai Ouyanga,b,  Mengmeng Gouc,  Pifeng Leia,b,  Yue Liua,b,  Liang Chena,b,  Xiangwen Denga,b,  Zhonghui Zhaoa,b,  Yelin Zenga,b,  Yanting Hua,b,  Changhui Pengd,  Wenhua Xianga,b( )
Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China
Huitong National Station for Scientific Observation and Research of Chinese Fir Plantation Ecosystems in Hunan Province, Huitong, 438107, China
Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100101, China
Institute of Environment Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada
Keywords:
Biodiversity, Functional traits, Stand structure, Abiotic and biotic factors, Functional composition, Soil microbial diversity
Cite this article:
Ouyang S, Gou M, Lei P, et al. Plant functional trait diversity and structural diversity co-underpin ecosystem multifunctionality in subtropical forests. Forest Ecosystems, 2023, 10(2): 100093. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fecs.2023.100093
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Abstract Full text About this article

Tree species diversity is assumed to be an important component in managing forest ecosystems because of effects on multiple functions or ecosystem multifunctionality. However, the importance of tree diversity in determining multifunctionality in structurally complex subtropical forests relative to other regulators (e.g., soil microbial diversity, stand structure, and environmental conditions) remains uncertain. In this study, effects of aboveground (species richness and functional and structural diversity) and belowground (bacterial and fungal diversity) biodiversity, functional composition (community-weighted means of species traits), stand structure (diameter at breast height and stand density), and soil factors (pH and bulk density) on multifunctionality (including biomass production, carbon stock, and nutrient cycling) were examined along a tree diversity gradient in subtropical forests. The community-weighted mean of tree maximum height was the best predictor of ecosystem multifunctionality. Functional diversity explained a higher proportion of the variation in multifunctionality than that of species richness and fungal diversity. Stand structure -played an important role in modulating the effects of tree diversity on multifunctionality. The work highlights that species composition and maximizing forest structural complexity are effective strategies to increase forest multifunctionality while also conserving biodiversity in the management of multifunctional forests under global environmental changes.


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About this article

Plant functional trait diversity and structural diversity co-underpin ecosystem multifunctionality in subtropical forests

Show Author's information Shuai Ouyanga,b, Mengmeng Gouc, Pifeng Leia,b, Yue Liua,b, Liang Chena,b, Xiangwen Denga,b, Zhonghui Zhaoa,b, Yelin Zenga,b, Yanting Hua,b, Changhui Pengd, Wenhua Xianga,b( )
Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, China
Huitong National Station for Scientific Observation and Research of Chinese Fir Plantation Ecosystems in Hunan Province, Huitong, 438107, China
Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100101, China
Institute of Environment Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada

Abstract

Tree species diversity is assumed to be an important component in managing forest ecosystems because of effects on multiple functions or ecosystem multifunctionality. However, the importance of tree diversity in determining multifunctionality in structurally complex subtropical forests relative to other regulators (e.g., soil microbial diversity, stand structure, and environmental conditions) remains uncertain. In this study, effects of aboveground (species richness and functional and structural diversity) and belowground (bacterial and fungal diversity) biodiversity, functional composition (community-weighted means of species traits), stand structure (diameter at breast height and stand density), and soil factors (pH and bulk density) on multifunctionality (including biomass production, carbon stock, and nutrient cycling) were examined along a tree diversity gradient in subtropical forests. The community-weighted mean of tree maximum height was the best predictor of ecosystem multifunctionality. Functional diversity explained a higher proportion of the variation in multifunctionality than that of species richness and fungal diversity. Stand structure -played an important role in modulating the effects of tree diversity on multifunctionality. The work highlights that species composition and maximizing forest structural complexity are effective strategies to increase forest multifunctionality while also conserving biodiversity in the management of multifunctional forests under global environmental changes.

Keywords: Biodiversity, Functional traits, Stand structure, Abiotic and biotic factors, Functional composition, Soil microbial diversity

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Acknowledgements
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Publication history

Received: 01 October 2022
Revised: 02 February 2023
Accepted: 02 February 2023
Published: 07 February 2023
Issue date: April 2023

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© 2023 The Authors.

Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 32071561 and 31870431), the Science and Technology Innovation Program of Hunan Province (No. 2021RC3104), the Research Foundation of the Education Bureau of Hunan Province (No. 19B586), and the Huitong Forest Ecological Station Funds provided by the State Forestry and Grass Administration of China (No. 2021132078). Many thanks to Xiangcheng Mi for insightful suggestions on statistical analyses.

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This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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