Climatic and edaphic controls over tropical forest diversity and vegetation carbon storage

Florian Hofhansl (Korresp. Autor*in), Eduardo Chacon-Madrigal, Lucia Fuchslueger, Daniel Jenking, Albert Morera-Beita, Christoph Plutzar, Fernando Silla, Kelly M. Andersen, David M. Buchs, Stefan Dullinger, Konrad Fiedler, Oskar Franklin, Peter Hietz, Werner Huber, Carlos A. Quesada, Anja Rammig, Franziska Schrodt, Andrea G. Vincent, Anton Weissenhofer, Wolfgang Wanek

Veröffentlichungen: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftArtikelPeer Reviewed

Abstract

Tropical rainforests harbor exceptionally high biodiversity and store large amounts of carbon in vegetation biomass. However, regional variation in plant species richness and vegetation carbon stock can be substantial, and may be related to the heterogeneity of topoedaphic properties. Therefore, aboveground vegetation carbon storage typically differs between geographic forest regions in association with the locally dominant plant functional group. A better understanding of the underlying factors controlling tropical forest diversity and vegetation carbon storage could be critical for predicting tropical carbon sink strength in response to projected climate change. Based on regionally replicated 1-ha forest inventory plots established in a region of high geomorphological heterogeneity we investigated how climatic and edaphic factors affect tropical forest diversity and vegetation carbon storage. Plant species richness (of all living stems >10 cm in diameter) ranged from 69 to 127 ha−1 and vegetation carbon storage ranged from 114 to 200 t ha−1. While plant species richness was controlled by climate and soil water availability, vegetation carbon storage was strongly related to wood density and soil phosphorus availability. Results suggest that local heterogeneity in resource availability and plant functional composition should be considered to improve projections of tropical forest ecosystem functioning under future scenarios.
OriginalspracheEnglisch
Aufsatznummer5066
Seitenumfang11
FachzeitschriftScientific Reports
Jahrgang10
Ausgabenummer1
DOIs
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 19 März 2020

ÖFOS 2012

  • 106026 Ökosystemforschung
  • 106022 Mikrobiologie

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