Large Ecosystem Service Benefits of Assisted Natural Regeneration. Issue 2 (28th February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yang, Yusheng; Wang, Lixin; Yang, Zhijie; Xu, Chao; Xie, Jingsheng; Chen, Guangshui; Lin, Chengfang; Guo, Jianfen; Liu, Xiaofei; Xiong, Decheng; Lin, Weisheng; Chen, Shidong; He, Zongming; Lin, Kaimiao; Jiang, Miaohua; Lin, Teng‐Chiu
• Is Part Of: Journal of geophysical research. Volume 123:Issue 2(2018)
• Page Start: 676
• Page End: 687
• Publication Date: 2018-02-28
• Subjects: assisted natural regeneration -- biomass -- Chinese fir plantation -- ecosystem service -- plant diversity; Geobiology -- Periodicals; Biogeochemistry -- Periodicals; Biotic communities -- Periodicals; Geophysics -- Periodicals; 577.14
• DOI: 10.1002/2017JG004267
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2169-8953

Abstract

Abstract: China manages the largest monoculture plantations in the world, with 24% being Chinese fir plantations. Maximizing the ecosystem services of Chinese fir plantations has important implications in global carbon cycle and biodiversity protection. Assisted natural regeneration (ANR) is a practice to convert degraded lands into more productive forests with great ecosystems services. However, the quantitative understanding of ANR ecosystem service benefits is very limited. We conducted a comprehensive field manipulation experiment to evaluate the ANR potentials. We quantified and compared key ecosystem services including surface runoff, sediment yield, dissolved organic carbon export, plant diversity, and aboveground carbon accumulation of ANR of secondary forests dominated by Castanopsis carlesii to that of Chinese fir and C. carlesii plantations . Our results showed that ANR of C. carlesii forest reduced surface runoff and sediment yield up to 50% compared with other young plantations in the first 3 years and substantially increased plant diversity. ANR also reduced the export of dissolved organic carbon by 60–90% in the first 2 years. Aboveground biomass of the young ANR forest was approximately 3–4 times of that of other young plantations, while aboveground biomass of mature ANR forests was approximately 1.4 times of that of mature Chinese fir plantations of the same age. If all Chinese fir plantations in China were replaced by ANR forests, potentially 0.7 Pg more carbon will be stored in aboveground in one rotation (25 years). The results indicate that ANR triggers positive feedbacks among soil and water conservation, biodiversity protection, and biomass accumulation and thereby enhances ecosystem services. Plain Language Summary: China manages the largest monoculture plantations in the world, with Chinese fir plantation being the world's most important plantation by acreage. Ecosystem services of the forest plantations largely depend on the management practices undertaken. Assisted natural regeneration (ANR) has been suggested to have a tremendous potential to enhance forest ecosystem services, but quantitative analyses of the ANR potentials are rare. We conducted a comprehensive field manipulation experiment to compare key ecosystem services of ANR of secondary forests dominated by Castanopsis carlesii to that of Chinese fir and C. carlesii plantations . Our results showed that compared with other young plantations, ANR of C. carlesii forest reduced surface runoff and sediment yield by ~50%, reduced the export of dissolved organic carbon by 60–90%, and substantially increased plant diversity. Aboveground biomass of the young ANR forest was approximately 3–4 times of that of other young plantations, while aboveground biomass of mature ANR forests was ~1.4 times of that of mature Chinese fir plantations. This first comprehensive ANR study clearly illustrates tremendous potential of ANR in enhancing ecosystem services of forest plantations. Key Points: Assisted natural regeneration forests significantly reduced surface runoff and sediment yield Assisted natural regeneration forests significantly increased plant diversity Assisted natural regeneration forests have the potential to store tremendous amount of carbon in aboveground biomass