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Productivity of temperate broad-leaved forest stands differing in tree species diversity

Productivité de peuplements de forêt tempérée feuillue présentant différents niveaux de diversité

Abstract

  • • Understanding the effects of tree species diversity on biomass and production of forests is fundamental for carbon sequestration strategies, particularly in the perspective of the current climate change. However, the diversity-productivity relationship in old-growth forests is not well understood.

  • • We quantified biomass and above-ground production in nine forest stands with increasing tree species diversity from monocultures of beech to stands consisting of up to five deciduous tree species (Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus excelsior, Tilia spp., Carpinus betulus, Acer spp.) to examine (a) if mixed stands are more productive than monospecific stands, (b) how tree species differ in the productivity of stem wood, leaves and fruits, and (c) if beech productivity increases with tree diversity due to lower intraspecific competition and complementary resource use.

  • • Total above-ground biomass and wood production decreased with increasing tree species diversity. In Fagus and Fraxinus, the basal area-related wood productivity exceeded those of the co-occurring tree species, while Tilia had the highest leaf productivity. Fagus trees showed no elevated production per basal area in the mixed stands.

  • • We found no evidence of complementary resource use associated with biomass production. We conclude that above-ground productivity of old-growth temperate deciduous forests depend more on tree species-specific traits than on tree diversity itself.

Résumé

  • • Comprendre les effets de la diversité des espèces d’arbres sur la biomasse et la production des forêts est fondamental pour les stratégies de piégeage du carbone, en particulier dans la perspective des changements climatiques actuels. Cependant, dans les vieilles forêts la relation diversité—productivité n’est pas bien comprise.

  • • Nous avons quantifié la biomasse et la production hors-sol de neuf peuplements forestiers à diversité croissante, allant de monocultures de hêtre jusqu’à des peuplements constitués d’un maximum de cinq espèces d’arbres à feuilles caduques (Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus excelsior, Tilia spp., Carpinus betulus, Acer spp.) afin d’examiner (a) si les peuplements mélangés sont plus productifs que les peuplements monospécifiques, (b) comment diverses espèces d’arbre diffèrent pour la productivité du bois de la tige, des feuilles et des fruits, et (c) si la productivité du hêtre augmente avec la diversité en relation avec une baisse de la compétition intra-spécifique et une complémentarité dans l’utilisation de ressources.

  • • La biomasse aérienne totale et la production de bois ont diminué quand la diversité des espèces d’arbres augmentait. Pour Fagus et Fraxinus, la productivité en bois estimée d’après la surface terrière dépassait celle des autres espèces, tandis que Tilia avait la plus forte productivité en feuilles. Dans les peuplements mixtes, les hêtres ne présentaient pas de gain de productivité ramenée à la surface terrière.

  • • Nous n’avons trouvé aucune preuve d’une complémentarité de l’utilisation de ressources liées à la production de biomasse. Nous concluons que la productivité des parties aériennes des vieux peuplements feuillus tempérés, dépend davantage de traits spécifiques des différentes espèces que de la diversité en espèces.

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Correspondence to Mascha Jacob.

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Jacob, M., Leuschner, C. & Thomas, F.M. Productivity of temperate broad-leaved forest stands differing in tree species diversity. Ann. For. Sci. 67, 503 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1051/forest/2010005

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