What is it about?
In this study, we examined the influence of tree species diversity, functional diversity, and functional dominance on carbon storage in a multistory, and not well-studied forest ecosystem in South Africa. We found that the diversity effects were mediated through functional diversity and functional dominance, suggesting that both the niche complementarity and the selection effects are not exclusively affecting carbon storage. We also found out that functional diversity effects were greater than functional dominance ones, and the functional dominance effects were strongly transmitted by maximum plant height, which suggest that forest vertical stratification is important for diversity–carbon relationship.
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Perspectives
Our results suggest that forest vertical stratification is important for diversity–carbon relationship. Future research on the relation between diversity and forest carbon should be oriented toward a perspective of forest canopy, to contribute more insights into our understanding of biodiversity–ecosystem function relationship.
Ir Sylvanus Mensah
Stellenbosch University
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This page is a summary of: Tree species diversity promotes aboveground carbon storage through functional diversity and functional dominance, Ecology and Evolution, September 2016, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2525.
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