Multivariate relationship between tree diversity and aboveground biomass across tree strata in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest

Lin, Dunmei; Pang, Mei; Lai, Jiameng; Mi, Xiangcheng; Ren, Haiyun; Ma, Keping

doi:10.1360/n972016-01072

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…The causes of various patterns of change in biomass are still uncertain along spatial gradients, and a majority of studies show that ratios of water to heat were a primary reason that gave rise to differential distributions of biomass [1, 66, 67]; however, other mechanisms remain unclear. Moreover, plants of different function groups possessed differential responses to changes in environmental factors [68]. Therefore, plants of subalpine meadows allocated more biomass to belowground parts with spatial gradients increasing with elevation in the Loess Plateau.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, this might be caused by sampling effects as well, that is, when more species were selected from a species pool, greater probabilities existed for finding high-biomass species, and then ecosystem productivity increased, which was not induced by increments of species diversity [76, 77]. Under field conditions, because species diversity is influenced by environmental and human disturbance, correlations had complex relationships between species diversity and biomass [68], which was usually manifested in four types: linear relationships [78], nonlinearly unimodal relationships [79], S-type curves [8, 80], and non-correlated relationships [75, 81]. Studies in recent years have principally emphasized the effects of human factors on species diversity, while correlations between species diversity and biomass have not been given enough attention under natural conditions [17, 78, 82, 83].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Multiscale spatial patterns of species diversity and biomass together with their correlations along geographical gradients in subalpine meadows

Zhang

Wen

et al. 2019

PLoS ONE

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Researchers frequently discuss spatial distribution patterns of species diversity and biomass together with their correlations along geographical gradients. Typical subalpine meadows occur widely on the east of the Loess Plateau, China; here, we selected nine mountains belonging to four mountain systems from north to south on the east of the plateau. We analyzed five latitudinal and longitudinal gradients together with six elevational gradients to study the spatial distribution patterns of species diversity (including α , β , and γ diversity) and biomass plus with their relationships at various scales. Results showed that (1) for diversity, α -Diversity manifested unimodal variation patterns in horizontal spaces, peaking at high latitude and low longitude. However, α -diversity was not sensitive to elevation in vertical spaces and tended to decrease with increasing elevation. With increased latitude, longitude, and elevation, β -Diversity diminished; meanwhile, the rate of species turnover decreased and the similarity of community composition enlarged. γ -Diversity demonstrated quadratic function changes that were initially incremental and then decreased with increasing longitude, elevation, and latitude from 37.5° to 40°. In general, β- diversity had positive correlation with γ -diversity and negative correlation with α- diversity, which conformed to the function of β = γ / α . (2) For biomass, changes of aboveground biomass (AB) were more obvious along latitudinal gradients, whereas variations of belowground biomass (BB) had smaller differences along longitudinal and latitudinal gradients. More biomass was allocated to BB toward the north and east, whereas root-to-shoot ratio (R/S) was more evident at greater latitude than greater longitude. With increased elevation, more biomass was also allocated to BB, and the relationship of biomass to elevation was closer in AB. In short, the relation of biomass allocation tended to belowground plant parts with different geographical scales. (3) Species diversity had the strongest positive influence on AB. The Patrick and Shannon indices had correlations of power functions with AB and R/S, respectively, indicating that an allometric model could be used to model relationships between species diversity and biomass. In conclusion, the unique geomorphological structures with a series of basins between mountain systems on the east of the Loess Plateau, meant that subalpine meadows were mostly distributed along latitudinal directions, so the spatial distribution of species diversity and biomass was more evident along latitudinal gradients, and thus the response of aboveground biomass was more sensitive to variations of spatial gradients and species diversity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiscale spatial patterns of species diversity and biomass together with their correlations along geographical gradients in subalpine meadows

Zhang

Wen

et al. 2019

PLoS ONE

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“…The initial multivariate model was established based on the productivity-diversity hypothesis [25,44]. An SEM path diagram was used to characterize the complex relationships among various explanatory variables and biomass increment.…”

Section: Multivariate Statistical Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, tree species composition and forest structure are also important for post-treatment productivity or biomass increment [23,24]. Some studies have suggested that environmental metrics not only directly affect biomass increment but also indirectly influence it by shaping the diversity of tree composition and size [25]. This is a complex process, and we are still unclear about how environmental metrics, tree diversity, and their interactions affect biomass increment after thinning.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thinning Effects on Aboveground Biomass Increments in Both the Overstory and Understory of Masson Pine Forests

Liu,

Zeng

et al. 2024

Forests

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Masson pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) is a tree species that is widely distributed throughout southern China and holds significant economic and ecological value. The main objective of our study was to assess the effects of thinning on aboveground biomass increments and tree diversity in both the overstory and understory. Additionally, the underlying factors and mechanisms responsible for driving changes in biomass increment were analyzed. Four different thinning treatments (control, light thinning, moderate thinning, and heavy thinning) were implemented in 214 plots (~1800 tree ha−1) in three Masson pine forests in Hunan Province, China. A robustly designed experiment was used with over six years of repeated measurements. The differences in biomass increment and tree diversity among the different treatments were compared using repeated measures ANOVAs. The Mantel test was used to determine environmental metrics correlated with biomass increments across tree strata. Structural equation modeling was utilized to explore the multivariate relationships among site environment, tree diversity, and post-treatment biomass increment. The results indicated that thinning overall increased biomass increment, the Shannon index, and the Gini index, while decreasing the Dominance index over time. Moderate thinning (25%–35% of trees removed) was found to promote overstory biomass increment to 9.72 Mg·ha−1·a−1 and understory biomass increment to 1.43 Mg·ha−1·a−1 six years post-thinning, which is significantly higher than that of other treatments. Environmental metrics such as light intensity, soil organic matter, and other soil physiochemical properties were positively correlated with biomass increments, and their effects on the overstory and understory differed. Structural equation modeling revealed that thinning treatments, environmental metrics, tree diversity, and their interactions could be the main drivers for biomass increments across tree strata. Specifically, thinning treatments, light intensity, and tree size diversity (Gini index) had significant effects on overstory biomass increment, while understory species richness (Shannon index) and soil organic matter affected understory biomass increment. In conclusion, moderate thinning is an effective silvicultural treatment for stimulating biomass increments of both the overstory and understory in Masson pine forests in southern China if a middle period (e.g., six years) is considered. Some factors, such as species richness, tree size diversity, and environmental metrics (e.g., light and soil), are suggested for consideration to improve the efficiency of thinning.

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“…Species diversity is the simplest and most effective method to determine community and regional diversity, which is considered to be an essential component of biodiversity (Jin et al, 2017;Ge, 2017;Venterink et al, 2003;Yao et al, 2017) . Species distribution patterns are outcomes of multiple ecological processes, and these processes are primarily controlled by species evolution, geographic variation and environmental factors (Aerts and Beltman, 2003;Andersen and Hessen, 2004;Elser et al, 2000;Lin et al, 2017). Studies on gradient patterns of species diversity are the foundation of conservation biology, together with the ecological factors that control these patterns.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The mid-domain effect of species diversity of mountainous plants is determined by community life form and family flora in a temperate semi-arid region of China

Wen

2018

Preprint

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The mid-domain effect (MDE) is a vital hypothesis to explain altitudinal patterns of species diversity of mountainous plants with different gradients, but it is bounded in terms of its application at the plant level. To verify the MDE hypothesis, we chose a typical mountain with obvious elevation gradients and considerable plant coverage as a study area in the east of the Loess Plateau and partitioned various elevation belts across this mountain. Through measuring the species diversity of arbor, shrub and herb communities in forest ecosystems, we explored altitudinal patterns of species diversity of mountainous plants with different gradients. We determined that the family numbers of the herb and shrub communities, as well as the species diversity of the arbor community, reached their maximums at intermediate elevations. The family numbers of the herb and shrub communities presented unimodal patterns across altitudinal gradients, and the highest values occurred at intermediate elevations. The family number of the arbor community showed a monotonic decreasing pattern, and the importance values of dominant families in the shrub and arbor communities presented unimodal patterns, but the lowest values occurred at intermediate elevations. The species diversity of the herb, shrub and arbor communities conformed to unimodal change patterns following altitudinal gradients, but the greatest diversity occurred at high, low and intermediate elevations, respectively. At higher elevations, weeds and grasses grew well, whereas sedges grew well at lower elevations. With respect to the importance values of different arbor life forms, their responses to altitudinal gradients indicated a certain variation pattern, which was greater for evergreen coniferous arbor species than for deciduous coniferous arbor species and deciduous broad-leaved arbor species. It is concluded that the MDE hypothesis of species diversity for mountainous plants is influenced greatly by the community life form and family flora at the plant level in a temperate semi-arid region of the Loess Plateau, China. This conclusion tests and modifies the MDE hypothesis and can be valuable for fueling prediction of biodiversity models and for the comparison with similar studies in different regions.

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Multivariate relationship between tree diversity and aboveground biomass across tree strata in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest

Cited by 4 publications

References 14 publications

Multiscale spatial patterns of species diversity and biomass together with their correlations along geographical gradients in subalpine meadows

Multiscale spatial patterns of species diversity and biomass together with their correlations along geographical gradients in subalpine meadows

Thinning Effects on Aboveground Biomass Increments in Both the Overstory and Understory of Masson Pine Forests

The mid-domain effect of species diversity of mountainous plants is determined by community life form and family flora in a temperate semi-arid region of China

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