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The Relationship between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function
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The Relationship between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Biodiversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 January 2024) | Viewed by 20344

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Shuai Ouyang

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
Interests: biodiversity and ecosystem functioning; ecosystem mutilfunctionality; subtropical forests; forest ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Pifeng Lei

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
Interests: biodiversity and ecosystem functioning; tree species identity; forest structure; forest ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to global changes and losses in biodiversity, the study of the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function has attracted a large amount of attention. Forests, as globally important terrestrial ecosystems, not only provide humans with multiple functions and services including timber production, carbon storage, water regulation, local climate regulation, etc., but also harbor a wealth of organism biodiversity.

Forests are often heterogeneous environments and have complex structures and species interactions, but it remains unclear how these processes affect the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function under global changes. To improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms that explain biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships in a changing environment, we have launched this Special Issue to collect the latest studies regarding the relationships between forest biodiversity and ecosystem function at both local and regional scales under a broad range of biotic or abiotic drivers in forest ecosystems, aiming to promote knowledge and adopt effective strategies to maintain multitrophic diversity and dependent ecosystem functions. All studies relevant to forest biodiversity, including above- (taxonomic, functional, phylogenetic diversity and structural diversity) and below-ground (bacterial fungal and nematodes diversity) biodiversity and ecosystem function or multifunctionality, are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Shuai Ouyang
Prof. Dr. Pifeng Lei
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationship
  • functional diversity
  • forest structure
  • tree species identity
  • ecosystem multifunctionality
  • soil microbes
  • forest ecosystems
  • biodiversity research
  • environmental conditions

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2394 KiB  
Article
Changes in Relationship between Forest Biomass Productivity and Biodiversity of Different Type Subtropical Forests in Southern China
by Wei Xu, Ping Zhou, Miguel Ángel González-Rodríguez, Zhaowei Tan, Zehua Li and Ping Yan
Forests 2024, 15(3), 410; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030410 - 21 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1539
Abstract
Forest productivity is influenced by various factors, including biodiversity, environmental factors, functional traits, and forest types. However, the relative importance of these factors in determining the productivity of subtropical forests in southern China remains controversial. In this study, we analyzed a dataset of [...] Read more.
Forest productivity is influenced by various factors, including biodiversity, environmental factors, functional traits, and forest types. However, the relative importance of these factors in determining the productivity of subtropical forests in southern China remains controversial. In this study, we analyzed a dataset of 24 forest plots from four subtropical forest types in the Nanling Mountains with the main goal of identifying and quantifying the relative contribution of the main driving factors of forest productivity in these forests. Generalized linear regression and structural equation modeling were used to examine the relationship between forest biomass productivity (aboveground, belowground and total), biodiversity (taxonomic diversity, phylogenetic diversity and functional diversity), and environmental variables (i.e., physiography and climate). The results indicated that both environmental factors and biodiversity played pivotal roles in explaining the biomass productivity of the Nanling subtropical forests. Environmental factors had the greatest influence on total productivity, while the impacts of different types of biodiversity on various productivity components (aboveground and belowground) varied notably. Taxonomic diversity showed the strongest positive effect on the aboveground and belowground biomass productivity. However, phylogenetic and functional diversity had negative effects on productivity. Furthermore, these relationships also exhibited variations when considering different altitude gradients, with low altitudes generally leading to negative biodiversity–productivity correlations. We contextualized our results regarding the three state-of-the-art theories about biodiversity–productivity relationships (selection probability, niche complementarity, and biomass ratio) and concluded that both selection probability and niche complementarity are the driving mechanisms of productivity in the subtropical forests of the Nanling Mountains. This study offers valuable insights into the functioning and biodiversity mechanisms of subtropical forest ecosystems in southern China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Relationship between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function)
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15 pages, 11175 KiB  
Article
BIOCLIM Modeling for Predicting Suitable Habitat for Endangered Tree Tapiscia sinensis (Tapisciaceae) in China
by Chunping Xie, Lin Chen, Meng Li, Chi Yung Jim and Dawei Liu
Forests 2023, 14(11), 2275; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14112275 - 20 Nov 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1764
Abstract
Climate change jeopardizes species survival, particularly for endangered species. This risk extends to the endangered Chinese endemic tree Tapiscia sinensis. The factors underpinning T. sinensis’s habitat distribution are poorly understood, and its potential response to future climate scenarios remains unclear. With [...] Read more.
Climate change jeopardizes species survival, particularly for endangered species. This risk extends to the endangered Chinese endemic tree Tapiscia sinensis. The factors underpinning T. sinensis’s habitat distribution are poorly understood, and its potential response to future climate scenarios remains unclear. With six shortlisted climate factors and 117 occurrence records, we modeled T. sinensis’s potential distribution across China using the BIOCLIM model. We applied principal component analysis to examine the primary climate factors restricting its geographical range. The findings indicate that T. sinensis’ range is principally located in China’s middle subtropical climatic zone at low–mid altitudes. The principal component analysis identified two critical factors representing temperature and precipitation. Temperature was the most critical factor limiting T. sinensis distribution, especially the effect of temperature seasonality and isothermality. The habitat suitability model generated by BIOCLIM under current climate conditions demonstrated strong concordance between the predicted suitable areas and the present actual distribution range. These results verify that the model can reliably identify habitats conducive to T. sinensis growth and survival. However, under a hypothetical future climate scenario of doubled atmospheric CO2 concentrations for 2100, the model indicates a precipitous reduction and fragmentation in the areas with excellent suitability conditions. This predicted decline highlights the considerable threats posed by climate change to the long-term survival of this endangered species in China. Our habitat modeling yields critical insights that inform the development of science-based strategies and best practices to improve conservation management plans for research, protection, nursery cultivation, and sustainable planting in China. Habitat suitability knowledge could aid introduction and cultivation efforts for T. sinensis globally in places with analogous climates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Relationship between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function)
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20 pages, 2610 KiB  
Article
Inconsistent Responses of Rhizosphere Microbial Community Structure and Extracellular Enzyme Activity to Short-Term Nitrogen and Phosphorus Additions in Chinese Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) Plantations
by Zhilong Hu and Wenhua Xiang
Forests 2023, 14(8), 1532; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14081532 - 27 Jul 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1513
Abstract
Rhizosphere is a hot zone formed by root–microbial interaction, and microbial activities in this zone differ from those in bulk soil. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs are able to change forest soil nutrient availability, affecting microbial communities and extracellular enzyme secretion. However, [...] Read more.
Rhizosphere is a hot zone formed by root–microbial interaction, and microbial activities in this zone differ from those in bulk soil. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs are able to change forest soil nutrient availability, affecting microbial communities and extracellular enzyme secretion. However, the impact of N and P additions on the structure and functions of rhizosphere microbial community in Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) plantations are not yet clear. To reveal the impact of short-term N and P inputs on microbial community structure and functions in rhizosphere soil, soil physicochemical properties, phospholipid fatty acids, and seven hydrolytic enzyme activities were measured in Chinese fir rhizosphere soil after one year of nutrient addition. N addition reduced the rhizosphere’s pH and increased ammonium N, but the rhizosphere’s available N (AN) initially wentdown and then up along the P-addition gradient. The rhizosphere fungi:bacteria ratio showed a decline after N addition, while a concave peak change occurred as rhizosphere AN under P addition. Moreover, rhizosphere extracellular enzyme activities and microbial C limitation climbed markedly with N addition rates, while this also showed an obviously unimodal pattern along the P-addition gradient. P addition did not alleviate rhizosphere microbial P limitation. Our findings suggest inconsistent responses of rhizosphere microorganisms of Chinese fir soil to N and P additions. Rhizosphere N availability can regulate microbial community structure and extracellular enzymes by influencing microbial C limitation. The study provides more knowledge on microbial activities in rhizosphere soil of subtropical forests under global changes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Relationship between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function)
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15 pages, 3628 KiB  
Article
MaxEnt Modeling for Predicting Suitable Habitat for Endangered Tree Keteleeria davidiana (Pinaceae) in China
by Qin Zhang, Xiangbao Shen, Xiaolong Jiang, Tingting Fan, Xiaocui Liang and Wende Yan
Forests 2023, 14(2), 394; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14020394 - 15 Feb 2023
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3043
Abstract
Understanding species response to climate change is essential for the conservation and utilization of species resources under rapid climate change in the future. In this study, the present and future suitable distribution range of Keteleeria davidiana, a tertiary relict gymnosperm, was predicted [...] Read more.
Understanding species response to climate change is essential for the conservation and utilization of species resources under rapid climate change in the future. In this study, the present and future suitable distribution range of Keteleeria davidiana, a tertiary relict gymnosperm, was predicted based on the maximum entropy model (MaxEnt). A total of 158 occurrence records were collected after removing the duplicated records. Six low-correlation climate variables were used to predict species distributions. The three key climate factors that affect the distribution of K. davidiana were temperature seasonality (34.96%), mean temperature of the coldest quarter (28.30%) and precipitation seasonality (13.58%). The most suitable zone of the temperature seasonality for K. davidiana was between 377.4 and 843.4. The highly suitable area was located in the mountainous regions of central and southeast China, which accounted for 13.39% of the whole study area. With climate warming in the future, the highly suitable distribution area of K. davidiana was estimated to decrease by 35% (SSP1-2.6 scenario) or 85% (SSP5-8.5 scenario). This study has provided a sufficient scientific basis for the future in situ and ex situ conservation of K. davidiana. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Relationship between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function)
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17 pages, 3817 KiB  
Article
Interaction Effect of Stand Age and Diversity on Aboveground Wood Carbon Accumulation in Subtropical Mixed Forests of the Zhejiang Province (China)
by Gang Wang, Binglou Xie, Yulong Lv, Jiayang Yin, Yufeng Zhou, Lin Xu and Yongjun Shi
Forests 2023, 14(2), 262; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14020262 - 31 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2126
Abstract
Aboveground wood carbon (AWC) stocks in forest ecosystems are mediated by biotic and abiotic variables. Understanding the internal regulatory mechanisms of forests is important for future forest management and global climate change mitigation. However, how these factors affect AWC in subtropical mixed forests [...] Read more.
Aboveground wood carbon (AWC) stocks in forest ecosystems are mediated by biotic and abiotic variables. Understanding the internal regulatory mechanisms of forests is important for future forest management and global climate change mitigation. However, how these factors affect AWC in subtropical mixed forests remains poorly understood. Using a database from the National Forest Inventory (NFI) from China, we observed the effects of climate variables (temperature and precipitation), stand structure indices (stand density and DBH coefficient of variation and diversity), stand diversity indices (taxonomic diversity, functional diversity, and phylogenetic diversity), and stand functional indices on coniferous mixed forests (CMF), coniferous–broadleaf mixed forests (CBMF), and broadleaf mixed forests (BMF). Meanwhile, we examined the AWC based on a linear mixed model and a structural equation model for each mixed forest. We found that both stand structure and stand diversity can affect the AWC through their indirect effects on the stand function, aligning with the niche complementarity effect. Stand age is an important factor affecting AWC because it interacts with stand structure and stand diversity. Our study highlights that AWC is dependent on the regulation of stand age and structure, which can be crucial for boosting high carbon stocks in subtropical forests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Relationship between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function)
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15 pages, 3140 KiB  
Article
Urbanization Imprint on Soil Bacterial Communities in Forests and Grasslands
by Dandan Gao, Ning Zhang, Shuguang Liu, Chen Ning, Xinyue Wang and Shuailong Feng
Forests 2023, 14(1), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14010038 - 25 Dec 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2869
Abstract
Urbanization alters land uses and creates heterogeneous environmental conditions in cities and their surroundings, which may directly or indirectly impact soil microorganisms. However, how urbanization affects soil bacterial diversity and community composition, particularly in different land use types, remains largely unknown. In this [...] Read more.
Urbanization alters land uses and creates heterogeneous environmental conditions in cities and their surroundings, which may directly or indirectly impact soil microorganisms. However, how urbanization affects soil bacterial diversity and community composition, particularly in different land use types, remains largely unknown. In this study, we collected 36 soil samples (18 forest and 18 grass soils) along a rural-suburban-urban gradient in Chang-Zhu-Tan agglomeration. The bacterial diversity and community composition were investigated using 16S rRNA gene sequencing that targeted the V3-V4 region. Our results showed that urbanization induced shifts in bacterial diversity and community composition in both forestlands and grasslands. Specifically, soil bacterial diversity was higher in urban areas than in their suburban and rural counterparts in forests and grasslands, particularly in forests, where significant increases were detected. Urbanization changed the most dominated soil bacterial community from Acidobacteria to Proteobacteria in forestland. Significant decrease and increase were observed in the relative abundance of Acidobacteria (e.g., Acidobacteriales, Acidobacteriia_Subgroup2 and Solibacterales) and Proteobacteria (e.g., Betaproteobacteriales, Myxococcales and Sphingomonadales), respectively, in the forests with increasing urbanization intensity. In contrast, Proteobacteria always dominated the soil bacterial community along the rural-suburban-urban gradient in grassland, and significant decrease and increase in Nitrospirae and Latescibacteria were induced by urbanization, respectively. In addition to urbanization and total nitrogen, total organic carbon and ratio of carbon and nitrogen were the main factors that related with the bacterial community in forest soils, whereas soil water content was the main factor related with soil bacterial community in the grasslands. Together, our results indicate that the urbanization results in shifts in bacterial community composition and diversity, but the extent varied between forest and grassland, which may due to different human management intensity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Relationship between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function)
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17 pages, 2997 KiB  
Article
Introducing N2-Fixing Tree Species into Eucalyptus Plantation in Subtropical China Alleviated Carbon and Nitrogen Constraints within Soil Aggregates
by Jinliu Yan, Xueman Huang, Xiaoyan Su, Wen Zhang, Guannv Gao and Yeming You
Forests 2022, 13(12), 2102; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13122102 - 9 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1810
Abstract
Soil extracellular enzymatic activity (EEA) and extracellular enzymatic stoichiometry (EES) within aggregates indicate variations in soil-nutrient effectiveness and the nutrient requirements of microorganisms. However, the responses of soil EEA and EES after introducing N2-fixing tree species into Eucalyptus plantations are poorly [...] Read more.
Soil extracellular enzymatic activity (EEA) and extracellular enzymatic stoichiometry (EES) within aggregates indicate variations in soil-nutrient effectiveness and the nutrient requirements of microorganisms. However, the responses of soil EEA and EES after introducing N2-fixing tree species into Eucalyptus plantations are poorly understood. Therefore, we examined soils from a 15-year-old pure Eucalyptus urophylla plantation (PP) and mixed E. urophylla and Acacia mangium plantation (MP) based on the theory of EEA and EES at the aggregate scale. Aggregates were separated into four fractions using a dry-sieving procedure: >2, 1–2, 0.25–1, and <0.25 mm. We measured the EEA of soil carbon (C)-, nitrogen (N)-, and phosphorus (P)-acquiring enzymes, and examined potential factors (soil physicochemical properties, microbial biomass, and litterfall [LF]) that may influence EEA and EES. Significantly higher (p < 0.05) EEA levels in all aggregates were found in MP than in PP. The average natural logarithmic ratio of C-, N-, and P-acquiring enzyme activities in our study was 1.44:1.21:1, which deviated from the global mean ratio of 1:1:1 and implied that soil microbes were limited by C and N. Moreover, the enzyme C:N ratio (EC:N), C:P ratio (EC:P), and vector length (VL) were markedly lower (p < 0.05) in bulk soil and most aggregates in MP compared to PP, suggesting that C limitation was more serious in PP than in MP. Furthermore, while the vector angle (VA) of bulk soil and four aggregate sizes were all <45° in both the PP and the MP, they were markedly higher (p < 0.05) in bulk soil and >2 mm aggregate in MP than in PP. This indicated that mixing N2-fixing species with Eucalyptus alleviated but did not eliminate N limitation. Our study also found that nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N), total nitrogen (TN), and microbial biomass C:P ratio (MBC:MBP) were the main factors driving changes in EEA, while LF was a key factor controlling EES (p < 0.05). Overall, introducing N2-fixing species into the Eucalyptus plantation alleviated but did not eliminate C and N limitation. The results provide specific recommendations for soil-nutrient management in Eucalyptus plantations in subtropical China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Relationship between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function)
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19 pages, 22898 KiB  
Article
Vegetation Restoration with Mixed N2-Fixer Tree Species Alleviates Microbial C and N Limitation in Surface Soil Aggregates in South Subtropical Karst Area, China
by Xiaoyan Su, Guannv Gao, Xueman Huang, Yi Wang, Wen Zhang, Jinliu Yan, Weijun Shen and Yeming You
Forests 2022, 13(10), 1701; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13101701 - 16 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1985
Abstract
Soil extracellular enzyme stoichiometry (EES) is the essential predictor in nutrient status and resource limitation of soil microorganisms, whose metabolism has a vital role in biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem function. However, little is known about how N2-fixer tree species with different [...] Read more.
Soil extracellular enzyme stoichiometry (EES) is the essential predictor in nutrient status and resource limitation of soil microorganisms, whose metabolism has a vital role in biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem function. However, little is known about how N2-fixer tree species with different planting patterns affect soil nutrient resources in terms of extracellular enzyme activity (EEA) or EES within aggregates in degraded karst ecosystems. In this study, we evaluated soil EEA and EES related to carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) cycles across two eight-year-old pure plantations of legume species [Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen (PD) and Acrocarpus fraxinifolius Wight ex Arn. (PA)] and a mixed plantation of the two tree species listed above (MP). Meanwhile, a nearby undisturbed shrubland was used as a control (CK). We concluded that the activities of C-, N-, and P-acquiring enzyme increased to different degrees in the N2-fixer tree species stands (particularly in MP) compared to CK in all aggregates. Compared to CK, MP significantly increased by 39.0%, 54.0%, 39.3%, and 24.8% in total C-acquiring EEA, 41.1%, 60.5%, 47.8%, and 12.5% in total N-acquiring EEA, and 100.4%, 79.7%, 69.2%, and 56.4% in total P-acquiring EEA within >2 mm, 1–2 mm, 0.25–1 mm, and <0.25 mm aggregates, respectively. Furthermore, the logarithmic transformed ratio of C-, N-, and P-acquiring enzyme activities was 1.20:1.08:1, which deviated from the global ratio (1:1:1). Vector analysis of EEA showed that the vector length (VL) within aggregates was significantly lower than that of CK in all stands of N2-fixer species except PD; while in all treatments, vector angle (VA) was <45° for all aggregate sizes, except in MP, where VA reached 45° for <0.25 mm aggregate. These indicated soil microbes were limited by C and N together. However, MP significantly alleviated microbial C and N limitation than CK (p < 0.05). There were obvious positive relationships between enzyme C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios. VL was markedly negatively linked to VA. EES was markedly related to most soil nutrients and microbial biomass stoichiometry ratios. Changes in soil EEA and EES were primarily driven by available phosphorus (AP), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), soil C:N and MBN:MBP ratios. Together, our results demonstrate the influences after introducing N2-fixer tree species (particularly MP) for vegetation recovery on soil microbial nutrient limitation and ecological processes in aggregate level and will contribute to the development of ecological restoration practices and fertility management in degraded karst ecosystems of southwest China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Relationship between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function)
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16 pages, 2684 KiB  
Article
Patterns and Driving Factors of Diversity in the Shrub Community in Central and Southern China
by Nan Deng, Qingan Song, Fengfeng Ma and Yuxin Tian
Forests 2022, 13(7), 1090; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13071090 - 11 Jul 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1975
Abstract
Climate, topography, and human activities are known to influence plant diversity. In the present study, species-abundance distribution (SAD) patterns of the shrub community were fitted, and the mechanism of contribution of 22 driving factors was assessed. The results showed that the α-diversity index [...] Read more.
Climate, topography, and human activities are known to influence plant diversity. In the present study, species-abundance distribution (SAD) patterns of the shrub community were fitted, and the mechanism of contribution of 22 driving factors was assessed. The results showed that the α-diversity index exhibited no significant differences between artificial disturbance and the natural community. The Zipf and Zipf–Mandelbrot models were found to exhibit a good SAD fitting of the communities, thereby exhibiting a different diversity structure. It was observed that the SAD followed more than one rule, and the Zipf–Mandelbrot model was better than other models. The gradient boosting model indicated that precipitation in the wettest month, annual precipitation, and slope direction showed the strongest impact on plant richness. The indicator species of the artificial disturbance and natural community were identified from a multiple regression tree. Furthermore, an increase in species diversity was observed with a rise in latitude, exhibiting a single-peaked curve with increased altitude. β-diversity analysis indicated that both habitat filtering and the neutral effect influenced the establishment of the natural community, while the establishment of the artificial disturbance community was only affected by habitat filtering. Our study provides a better understanding of the ecological process of the maintenance of shrub-community diversity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Relationship between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function)
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