Forest structural complexity can mediate the light and water distribution within forest canopies,and has a direct impact on forest biodiversity and carbon storage capability.It is believed that increases in forest str...Forest structural complexity can mediate the light and water distribution within forest canopies,and has a direct impact on forest biodiversity and carbon storage capability.It is believed that increases in forest structural complexity can enhance tree species diversity and forest productivity,but inconsistent relationships among them have been reported.Here,we quantified forest structural complexity in three aspects(i.e.,horizontal,vertical,and internal structural complexity)from unmanned aerial vehicle light detection and ranging data,and investigated their correlations with tree species diversity and forest productivity by incorporating field measurements in three forest biomes with large latitude gradients in China.Our results show that internal structural complexity had a stronger correlation(correlation coefficient=0.85)with tree species richness than horizontal structural complexity(correlation coefficient=-0.16)and vertical structural complexity(correlation coefficient=0.61),and it was the only forest structural complexity attribute having significant correlations with both tree species richness and tree species evenness.A strong scale effect was observed in the correlations among forest structural complexity,tree species diversity,and forest productivity.Moreover,forest internal structural complexity had a tight positive coordinated contribution with tree species diversity to forest productivity through structure equation model analysis,while horizontal and vertical structural complexity attributes have insignificant or weaker coordinated effects than internal structural complexity,which indicated that the neglect of forest internal structural complexity might partially lead to the current inconsistent observations among forest structural complexity,tree species diversity,and forest productivity.The results of this study can provide a new angle to understand the observed inconsistent correlations among forest structural complexity,tree species diversity,and forest productivity.展开更多
Background:In contrast with the negligible contribution of the forest understorey to the total aboveground phytobiomass of a forest,its share in annual litter production and nutrient cycling may be more important.Whet...Background:In contrast with the negligible contribution of the forest understorey to the total aboveground phytobiomass of a forest,its share in annual litter production and nutrient cycling may be more important.Whether and how this functional role of the understorey differs across forest types and depends upon overstorey characteristics remains to be investigated.Methods:We sampled 209 plots of the FunDivEUROPE Exploratory Platform,a network of study plots covering local gradients of tree diversity spread over six contrasting forest types in Europe.To estimate the relative contribution of the understorey to carbon and nutrient cycling,we sampled non-lignified aboveground understorey biomass and overstorey leaf litterfall in all plots.Understorey samples were analysed for C,N and P concentrations,overstorey leaf litterfall for C and N concentrations.We additionally quantified a set of overstorey attributes,including species richness,proportion of evergreen species,light availability(representing crown density)and litter quality,and investigated whether they drive the understorey’s contribution to carbon and nutrient cycling.Results and conclusions:Overstorey litter production and nutrient stocks in litterfall clearly exceeded the contribution of the understorey for all forest types,and the share of the understorey was higher in forests at the extremes of the climatic gradient.In most of the investigated forest types,it was mainly light availability that determined the contribution of the understorey to yearly carbon and nutrient cycling.Overstorey species richness did not affect the contribution of the understorey to carbon and nutrient cycling in any of the investigated forest types.展开更多
Figs (Moracea: Ficus) and fig wasps (Hymenoptera: Chlocloids: Agaonideae) depend on each other to complete their reproduction. Monoecious fig species and their pollinating wasps are in conflict over the use of fig ov...Figs (Moracea: Ficus) and fig wasps (Hymenoptera: Chlocloids: Agaonideae) depend on each other to complete their reproduction. Monoecious fig species and their pollinating wasps are in conflict over the use of fig ovaries which can either produce one seed or one wasp. From observation on Ficus virens Ait., we showed that female flowers with outer layer of ovaries (near to the wall of syconium) had no significant difference from that with inner and interval layer of ovaries (near to the syconium cavity), in which most seeds and wasps were produced. This meant that fig tree provided the same potential resource for seed and wasps production. Observation indicated that there was usually only one foundress in syconium at female flower phase and no com- petition pollinators. Measurement of the style length of female flowers and the ovipositor of pollinators indicated that most ovaries could be reached by pollinator’s ovipositor. However, at the male flower phase, production of seeds was significantly more than that of wasps including non-pollinating wasps but there was no significant difference between seed and pollinating wasp production when without non-pollinating wasps produced. This result indicated that non-pollinating wasps competed ovaries not with seeds but with pollinating wasps for ovipositing. Bagged experiment showed that the sampling fig species was not self-sterile which was important for figs and wasps to survive bad season. Seed production in self-pollinated figs was not significantly different from total wasps in- cluding non-pollinating ones. This might be related with the weaker competition among wasps since bagged figs were not easy to reach by wasps from outside.展开更多
Background:Forests perform various important ecosystem functions that contribute to ecosystem services.In many parts of the world,forest management has shifted from a focus on timber production to multi-purpose forest...Background:Forests perform various important ecosystem functions that contribute to ecosystem services.In many parts of the world,forest management has shifted from a focus on timber production to multi-purpose forestry,combining timber production with the supply of other forest ecosystem services.However,it is unclear which forest types provide which ecosystem services and to what extent forests primarily managed for timber already supply multiple ecosystem services.Based on a comprehensive dataset collected across 150 forest plots in three regions differing in management intensity and species composition,we develop models to predict the potential supply of 13 ecosystem services.We use those models to assess the level of multifunctionality of managed forests at the national level using national forest inventory data.Results:Looking at the potential supply of ecosystem services,we found trade-offs(e.g.between both bark beetle control or dung decomposition and both productivity or soil carbon stocks)as well as synergies(e.g.for temperature regulation,carbon storage and culturally interesting plants)across the 53 most dominant forest types in Germany.No single forest type provided all ecosystem services equally.Some ecosystem services showed comparable levels across forest types(e.g.decomposition or richness of saprotrophs),while others varied strongly,depending on forest structural attributes(e.g.phosphorous availability or cover of edible plants)or tree species composition(e.g.potential nitrification activity).Variability in potential supply of ecosystem services was only to a lesser extent driven by environmental conditions.However,the geographic variation in ecosystem function supply across Germany was closely linked with the distribution of main tree species.Conclusions:Our results show that forest multifunctionality is limited to subsets of ecosystem services.The importance of tree species composition highlights that a lack of multifunctionality at the stand level can be compensated by managing forests at the landscape level,when stands of complementary forest types are combined.These results imply that multi-purpose forestry should be based on a variety of forest types requiring coordinated planning across larger spatial scales.展开更多
Investment in silvicultural techniques is noticeably lacking,especially in breeding programs for non-conventional wood species.Studying genotype×environment interaction(G×E)is essential to the development of...Investment in silvicultural techniques is noticeably lacking,especially in breeding programs for non-conventional wood species.Studying genotype×environment interaction(G×E)is essential to the development of breeding programs.Thus,this study aimed to estimate genetic diversity of and the effects of G×E interaction on two progeny tests of Cordia trichotoma,including the estimation of genetic gain and genetic diversity after selection.For the experiment,30 progenies of C.trichotoma were tested at two sites with differing soil textures.Diameter at breast height(1.30 m above soil surface,dbh-cm),total height,diameter at 30 cm from the soil,first branch height,and survival were all monitored for four years.Statistical deviance,best linear unbiased estimator,and harmonic mean of relative performance of genetic values(MHPRVG)were all calculated to predict breeding values,estimate genetic parameters,and analyze deviance.All quantified traits varied significantly among progenies by soil type,with greatest variation recorded for genetic variability.Heritability of the progenies led to predictions of genetic gain,ranging from 7.73 to 15.45%,for dbh at four years of age.The calculated decrease in genetic diversity after selection showed that this parameter should be monitored in subsequent breeding cycles.G×E was low for all tests.The best-performing progenies proved most stable and best adapted to the different environmental conditions tested.展开更多
Background:Organic carbon stored in forest soils(SOC)represents an important element of the global C cycle.It is thought that the C storage capacity of the stable pool can be enhanced by increasing forest productivity...Background:Organic carbon stored in forest soils(SOC)represents an important element of the global C cycle.It is thought that the C storage capacity of the stable pool can be enhanced by increasing forest productivity,but empirical evidence in support of this assumption from forests differing in tree species and productivity,while stocking on similar substrate,is scarce.Methods:We determined the stocks of SOC and macro-nutrients(nitrogen,phosphorus,calcium,potassium and magnesium)in nine paired European beech/Scots pine stands on similar Pleistocene sandy substrates across a precipitation gradient(560–820mm∙yr−1)in northern Germany and explored the influence of tree species,forest history,climate,and soil pH on SOC and nutrient pools.Results:While the organic layer stored on average about 80%more C under pine than beech,the pools of SOC and total N in the total profile(organic layer plus mineral soil measured to 60 cm and extrapolated to 100 cm)were greater under pine by about 40%and 20%,respectively.This contrasts with a higher annual production of foliar litter and a much higher fine root biomass in beech stands,indicating that soil C sequestration is unrelated to the production of leaf litter and fine roots in these stands on Pleistocene sandy soils.The pools of available P and basic cations tended to be higher under beech.Neither precipitation nor temperature influenced the SOC pool,whereas tree species was a key driver.An extended data set(which included additional pine stands established more recently on former agricultural soil)revealed that,besides tree species identity,forest continuity is an important factor determining the SOC and nutrient pools of these stands.Conclusion:We conclude that tree species identity can exert a considerable influence on the stocks of SOC and macronutrients,which may be unrelated to productivity but closely linked to species-specific forest management histories,thus masking weaker climate and soil chemistry effects on pool sizes.展开更多
基金supported by the Frontier Science Key Programs of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(QYZDY-SSW-SMC011)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41871332,31971575,41901358).
文摘Forest structural complexity can mediate the light and water distribution within forest canopies,and has a direct impact on forest biodiversity and carbon storage capability.It is believed that increases in forest structural complexity can enhance tree species diversity and forest productivity,but inconsistent relationships among them have been reported.Here,we quantified forest structural complexity in three aspects(i.e.,horizontal,vertical,and internal structural complexity)from unmanned aerial vehicle light detection and ranging data,and investigated their correlations with tree species diversity and forest productivity by incorporating field measurements in three forest biomes with large latitude gradients in China.Our results show that internal structural complexity had a stronger correlation(correlation coefficient=0.85)with tree species richness than horizontal structural complexity(correlation coefficient=-0.16)and vertical structural complexity(correlation coefficient=0.61),and it was the only forest structural complexity attribute having significant correlations with both tree species richness and tree species evenness.A strong scale effect was observed in the correlations among forest structural complexity,tree species diversity,and forest productivity.Moreover,forest internal structural complexity had a tight positive coordinated contribution with tree species diversity to forest productivity through structure equation model analysis,while horizontal and vertical structural complexity attributes have insignificant or weaker coordinated effects than internal structural complexity,which indicated that the neglect of forest internal structural complexity might partially lead to the current inconsistent observations among forest structural complexity,tree species diversity,and forest productivity.The results of this study can provide a new angle to understand the observed inconsistent correlations among forest structural complexity,tree species diversity,and forest productivity.
基金the framework of the FunDivEUROPE project and has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme(FP7/2007–2013)under grant agreement n°265171.Dries Landuyt was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship of the Research Foundation-Flanders(FWO).Kris Verheyen was supported by the ERC Consolidator Grant 614839 that is linked with the project PASTFORWARD.
文摘Background:In contrast with the negligible contribution of the forest understorey to the total aboveground phytobiomass of a forest,its share in annual litter production and nutrient cycling may be more important.Whether and how this functional role of the understorey differs across forest types and depends upon overstorey characteristics remains to be investigated.Methods:We sampled 209 plots of the FunDivEUROPE Exploratory Platform,a network of study plots covering local gradients of tree diversity spread over six contrasting forest types in Europe.To estimate the relative contribution of the understorey to carbon and nutrient cycling,we sampled non-lignified aboveground understorey biomass and overstorey leaf litterfall in all plots.Understorey samples were analysed for C,N and P concentrations,overstorey leaf litterfall for C and N concentrations.We additionally quantified a set of overstorey attributes,including species richness,proportion of evergreen species,light availability(representing crown density)and litter quality,and investigated whether they drive the understorey’s contribution to carbon and nutrient cycling.Results and conclusions:Overstorey litter production and nutrient stocks in litterfall clearly exceeded the contribution of the understorey for all forest types,and the share of the understorey was higher in forests at the extremes of the climatic gradient.In most of the investigated forest types,it was mainly light availability that determined the contribution of the understorey to yearly carbon and nutrient cycling.Overstorey species richness did not affect the contribution of the understorey to carbon and nutrient cycling in any of the investigated forest types.
基金Supported by the Knowledge Innovation Research Program,Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCX2-SW-105)
文摘Figs (Moracea: Ficus) and fig wasps (Hymenoptera: Chlocloids: Agaonideae) depend on each other to complete their reproduction. Monoecious fig species and their pollinating wasps are in conflict over the use of fig ovaries which can either produce one seed or one wasp. From observation on Ficus virens Ait., we showed that female flowers with outer layer of ovaries (near to the wall of syconium) had no significant difference from that with inner and interval layer of ovaries (near to the syconium cavity), in which most seeds and wasps were produced. This meant that fig tree provided the same potential resource for seed and wasps production. Observation indicated that there was usually only one foundress in syconium at female flower phase and no com- petition pollinators. Measurement of the style length of female flowers and the ovipositor of pollinators indicated that most ovaries could be reached by pollinator’s ovipositor. However, at the male flower phase, production of seeds was significantly more than that of wasps including non-pollinating wasps but there was no significant difference between seed and pollinating wasp production when without non-pollinating wasps produced. This result indicated that non-pollinating wasps competed ovaries not with seeds but with pollinating wasps for ovipositing. Bagged experiment showed that the sampling fig species was not self-sterile which was important for figs and wasps to survive bad season. Seed production in self-pollinated figs was not significantly different from total wasps in- cluding non-pollinating ones. This might be related with the weaker competition among wasps since bagged figs were not easy to reach by wasps from outside.
基金funded through the project‘Bio Holz’(grant no.01LC1323A)in the funding program‘Research for the Implementation of the National Biodiversity Strategy(F&U NBS)’by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research(BMBF)and the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation(Bf N)with funds provided by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment,Nature Conservation,Building and Nuclear Safety(BMUB)supported by the DFG Priority Program 1374‘Infrastructure-Biodiversity-Exploratories’。
文摘Background:Forests perform various important ecosystem functions that contribute to ecosystem services.In many parts of the world,forest management has shifted from a focus on timber production to multi-purpose forestry,combining timber production with the supply of other forest ecosystem services.However,it is unclear which forest types provide which ecosystem services and to what extent forests primarily managed for timber already supply multiple ecosystem services.Based on a comprehensive dataset collected across 150 forest plots in three regions differing in management intensity and species composition,we develop models to predict the potential supply of 13 ecosystem services.We use those models to assess the level of multifunctionality of managed forests at the national level using national forest inventory data.Results:Looking at the potential supply of ecosystem services,we found trade-offs(e.g.between both bark beetle control or dung decomposition and both productivity or soil carbon stocks)as well as synergies(e.g.for temperature regulation,carbon storage and culturally interesting plants)across the 53 most dominant forest types in Germany.No single forest type provided all ecosystem services equally.Some ecosystem services showed comparable levels across forest types(e.g.decomposition or richness of saprotrophs),while others varied strongly,depending on forest structural attributes(e.g.phosphorous availability or cover of edible plants)or tree species composition(e.g.potential nitrification activity).Variability in potential supply of ecosystem services was only to a lesser extent driven by environmental conditions.However,the geographic variation in ecosystem function supply across Germany was closely linked with the distribution of main tree species.Conclusions:Our results show that forest multifunctionality is limited to subsets of ecosystem services.The importance of tree species composition highlights that a lack of multifunctionality at the stand level can be compensated by managing forests at the landscape level,when stands of complementary forest types are combined.These results imply that multi-purpose forestry should be based on a variety of forest types requiring coordinated planning across larger spatial scales.
基金funded by Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior(CAPES)。
文摘Investment in silvicultural techniques is noticeably lacking,especially in breeding programs for non-conventional wood species.Studying genotype×environment interaction(G×E)is essential to the development of breeding programs.Thus,this study aimed to estimate genetic diversity of and the effects of G×E interaction on two progeny tests of Cordia trichotoma,including the estimation of genetic gain and genetic diversity after selection.For the experiment,30 progenies of C.trichotoma were tested at two sites with differing soil textures.Diameter at breast height(1.30 m above soil surface,dbh-cm),total height,diameter at 30 cm from the soil,first branch height,and survival were all monitored for four years.Statistical deviance,best linear unbiased estimator,and harmonic mean of relative performance of genetic values(MHPRVG)were all calculated to predict breeding values,estimate genetic parameters,and analyze deviance.All quantified traits varied significantly among progenies by soil type,with greatest variation recorded for genetic variability.Heritability of the progenies led to predictions of genetic gain,ranging from 7.73 to 15.45%,for dbh at four years of age.The calculated decrease in genetic diversity after selection showed that this parameter should be monitored in subsequent breeding cycles.G×E was low for all tests.The best-performing progenies proved most stable and best adapted to the different environmental conditions tested.
基金funded by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research(BMBF)through a grant to CL(project number:01LC1314B).
文摘Background:Organic carbon stored in forest soils(SOC)represents an important element of the global C cycle.It is thought that the C storage capacity of the stable pool can be enhanced by increasing forest productivity,but empirical evidence in support of this assumption from forests differing in tree species and productivity,while stocking on similar substrate,is scarce.Methods:We determined the stocks of SOC and macro-nutrients(nitrogen,phosphorus,calcium,potassium and magnesium)in nine paired European beech/Scots pine stands on similar Pleistocene sandy substrates across a precipitation gradient(560–820mm∙yr−1)in northern Germany and explored the influence of tree species,forest history,climate,and soil pH on SOC and nutrient pools.Results:While the organic layer stored on average about 80%more C under pine than beech,the pools of SOC and total N in the total profile(organic layer plus mineral soil measured to 60 cm and extrapolated to 100 cm)were greater under pine by about 40%and 20%,respectively.This contrasts with a higher annual production of foliar litter and a much higher fine root biomass in beech stands,indicating that soil C sequestration is unrelated to the production of leaf litter and fine roots in these stands on Pleistocene sandy soils.The pools of available P and basic cations tended to be higher under beech.Neither precipitation nor temperature influenced the SOC pool,whereas tree species was a key driver.An extended data set(which included additional pine stands established more recently on former agricultural soil)revealed that,besides tree species identity,forest continuity is an important factor determining the SOC and nutrient pools of these stands.Conclusion:We conclude that tree species identity can exert a considerable influence on the stocks of SOC and macronutrients,which may be unrelated to productivity but closely linked to species-specific forest management histories,thus masking weaker climate and soil chemistry effects on pool sizes.