Overyielding in mixed pine forests with belowground complementarity: impacts on understory

The impact of biodiversity loss on the functioning of forest ecosystems has become a central issue in ecology. Most reports of the positive effects of tree mixture on the biodiversity–productivity relationship focus on mixtures that combine tree species with contrasting traits. Nevertheless, little...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of forest research 2021-08, Vol.140 (4), p.777-791
Main Authors: López-Marcos, Daphne, Turrión, María-Belén, Bravo, Felipe, Martínez-Ruiz, Carolina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Admixtures
Biodiversity
Biodiversity loss
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Complementarity
Coniferous forests
Ecological effects
Ecological function
Fertility
Forest ecosystems
Forest productivity
Forestry
Forests
Life Sciences
Mixed forests
Moisture content
Original Paper
Pine
Pine trees
Plant Ecology
Plant Sciences
Plant species
Productivity
Soil fertility
Soil water
Species richness
Understory
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Summary:The impact of biodiversity loss on the functioning of forest ecosystems has become a central issue in ecology. Most reports of the positive effects of tree mixture on the biodiversity–productivity relationship focus on mixtures that combine tree species with contrasting traits. Nevertheless, little is known about how coniferous mixtures of the same genus affect forest productivity, what mechanisms are involved, and how the understory is affected. Here, we assessed the effect of mixed versus monospecific stands of Pinus sylvestris L. and P. pinaster Ait. on productivity, its impact on the understory, and its relationship with soil water and fertility, based on research with six triplets (6 triplets × 3 forest stands × 1 plot = 18 plots) in North-Central Spain. Each triplet consisted of two plots dominated either by P. sylvestris or P. pinaster and of one mixed plot that contained both species. Productivity, at the stand and neighborhood levels, and the understory richness, and soil water and fertility at the stand level were analyzed. A positive effect of pine mixture on productivity was observed at the smaller spatial scale, and it had no negative effect on the understory richness. The greater space-use efficiency (higher tree density and basal area) of both Pinus species in the admixtures was related to soil water and fertility niche complementarity. The fundamental role of scale in determining the relationship between species richness and ecosystem functioning in forests is highlighted. Graphic abstract
ISSN:1612-4669
1612-4677
DOI:10.1007/s10342-021-01365-0