Dryad
Published July 18, 2018 | Version v1
Dataset Open

Data from: Tree species richness increases ecosystem carbon storage in subtropical forests

Authors/Creators

  • 1. Peking University
  • 2. University of Zurich
  • 3. Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
  • 4. Kiel University
  • 5. University of Freiburg
  • 6. Leipzig University
  • 7. Jingdezhen University
  • 8. University of Tübingen
  • 9. Institute of Botany

Description

Forest ecosystems are an integral component of the global carbon cycle as they take up and release large amounts of C in short time (C flux) or accumulate it over longer time (C stock). However, there remains uncertainty about whether and in which direction C fluxes and in particular C stocks may differ between forests of high vs. low species richness. Based on a comprehensive dataset derived from field-based measurements, we tested the effect of species richness (3–20 tree species) and stand age (22–116 years) on six compartments of above- and belowground C stocks and four components of C fluxes in subtropical forests in south-east China. Across forest stands, total C stock was 149 ± 12 Mg ha-1 with richness explaining 28.5% and age explaining 29.4% of variation in this measure. Species-rich stands had higher C stocks and fluxes than stands with low richness; and, in addition, old stands had higher C stocks than young ones. Overall, for each additional tree species the total C stock increased by 6.4%. Our results provide comprehensive evidence for diversity-mediated above- and belowground C sequestration in species-rich subtropical forests in south-east China. Therefore, afforestation policies in this region and elsewhere should consider a change from the current focus on monocultures to multi-species plantations to increase C fixation and thus slow increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations and global warming.

Notes

LiuEtAl_R1_Data
Raw data

Files

Files (18.8 kB)

Name Size Download all
md5:382e57569df267926ee0feb647659748
18.8 kB Download

Additional details

Related works

Is cited by
10.1098/rspb.2018.1240 (DOI)