Demographic composition, not demographic diversity, predicts biomass and turnover across temperate and tropical forests. (20th February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Needham, Jessica F.; Johnson, Daniel J.; Anderson‐Teixeira, Kristina J.; Bourg, Norman; Bunyavejchewin, Sarayudh; Butt, Nathalie; Cao, Min; Cárdenas, Dairon; Chang‐Yang, Chia‐Hao; Chen, Yu‐Yun; Chuyong, George; Dattaraja, Handanakere S.; Davies, Stuart J.; Duque, Alvaro; Ewango, Corneille E. N.; Fernando, Edwino S.; Fisher, Rosie; Fletcher, Christine D.; Foster, Robin; Hao, Zhanqing; Hart, Terese; Hsieh, Chang‐Fu; Hubbell, Stephen P.; Itoh, Akira; Kenfack, David; Koven, Charles D.; Larson, Andrew J.; Lutz, James A.; McShea, William; Makana, Jean‐Remy; Malhi, Yadvinder; Marthews, Toby; Bt. Mohamad, Mohizah; Morecroft, Michael D.; Norden, Natalia; Parker, Geoffrey; Shringi, Ankur; Sukumar, Raman; Suresh, Hebbalalu S.; Sun, I‐Fang; Tan, Sylvester; Thomas, Duncan W.; Thompson, Jill; Uriarte, Maria; Valencia, Renato; Yao, Tze Leong; Yap, Sandra L.; Yuan, Zuoqiang; Yuehua, Hu; Zimmerman, Jess K.; Zuleta, Daniel; McMahon, Sean M.;
• Is Part Of: Global change biology. Volume 28:Number 9(2022)
• Page Start: 2895
• Page End: 2909
• Publication Date: 2022-02-20
• Subjects: aboveground biomass -- carbon residence time -- forest dynamics -- ForestGEO -- size‐dependent survival -- species richness -- tree demography; Climatic changes -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Troposphere -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Biodiversity conservation -- Periodicals; Eutrophication -- Periodicals; 551.5
• DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16100
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1354-1013

Abstract

Abstract: The growth and survival of individual trees determine the physical structure of a forest with important consequences for forest function. However, given the diversity of tree species and forest biomes, quantifying the multitude of demographic strategies within and across forests and the way that they translate into forest structure and function remains a significant challenge. Here, we quantify the demographic rates of 1961 tree species from temperate and tropical forests and evaluate how demographic diversity (DD) and demographic composition (DC) differ across forests, and how these differences in demography relate to species richness, aboveground biomass (AGB), and carbon residence time. We find wide variation in DD and DC across forest plots, patterns that are not explained by species richness or climate variables alone. There is no evidence that DD has an effect on either AGB or carbon residence time. Rather, the DC of forests, specifically the relative abundance of large statured species, predicted both biomass and carbon residence time. Our results demonstrate the distinct DCs of globally distributed forests, reflecting biogeography, recent history, and current plot conditions. Linking the DC of forests to resilience or vulnerability to climate change, will improve the precision and accuracy of predictions of future forest composition, structure, and function. Abstract : (a) We fit growth and survival models to 1, 961 species across 20 tropical and temperate forest plots. (b) Species were clustered into Growth‐Survival‐Stature Modes (GSSMs) based on demographic rates. At each plot we calculated demographic diversity (DD) as the area occupied by species in demographic space, and demographic composition (DC) as the relative abundance of each GSSM. (c) DD peaks at intermediate levels of species richness. (d) Aboveground biomass (AGB) and carbon residence time are not related to DD across plots, but are related to DC, specifically the relative abundance of high‐survival, large‐statured GSSMs 5 and 6.