TY - JOUR

T1 - Tree neighbourhood diversity increases community productivity and growth stability under contrasting climatic regimes

AU - Schnabel, Florian

AU - Schwarz, Julia A.

AU - Danescu, Adrian

AU - Fichtner, Andreas

AU - Nock, Charles

AU - Bauhus, Jürgen

AU - Potvin, Catherene

N1 - Conference code: 25

PY - 2019/8/30

Y1 - 2019/8/30

N2 - There is increasing evidence that mixed-species forests can provide multiple ecosystem services at a higher level than their monospecific counterparts. Here,we provide insights into the temporal development of diversity-productivity (DPRs) and diversity-stability relationships (DSRs) in the oldest tree diversityexperiment in the tropics, ‘Sardinilla’ in Panama (established in 2001). We used annually resolved inventory data of tree diameters and heights from 22 plotswith a species richness gradient comprising monocultures, two-, three-, and five-species mixtures of native tree species. Combining tree neighbourhood- andcommunity-level analyses, we tested the effects of two diversity components, species diversity and structural diversity, on productivity and stability. Over time,we found a mean overyielding (higher productivity in mixtures compared to monocultures) of about 25-30% in the two- and three-species mixtures and thehighest overyielding at 50% in the five-species mixtures. Tree neighbourhood diversity enhanced community productivity but the effect of species diversity wasstronger and increased over time, while the effect of structural diversity declined. The temporal stability of community productivity increased with increasingspecies diversity driven by two principal processes: species asynchrony and overyielding. Along with increased stability, the benefits of mixing on productivitywere highest during a strong El Niño phenomenon, characterized by low precipitation. This suggests a higher resistance of the examined mixtures to droughts.These results provide new insights into mixing effects in diverse, tropical plantations and highlight the importance of analyses of temporal dynamics for ourunderstanding of the complex relationships between diversity, productivity and stability.

AB - There is increasing evidence that mixed-species forests can provide multiple ecosystem services at a higher level than their monospecific counterparts. Here,we provide insights into the temporal development of diversity-productivity (DPRs) and diversity-stability relationships (DSRs) in the oldest tree diversityexperiment in the tropics, ‘Sardinilla’ in Panama (established in 2001). We used annually resolved inventory data of tree diameters and heights from 22 plotswith a species richness gradient comprising monocultures, two-, three-, and five-species mixtures of native tree species. Combining tree neighbourhood- andcommunity-level analyses, we tested the effects of two diversity components, species diversity and structural diversity, on productivity and stability. Over time,we found a mean overyielding (higher productivity in mixtures compared to monocultures) of about 25-30% in the two- and three-species mixtures and thehighest overyielding at 50% in the five-species mixtures. Tree neighbourhood diversity enhanced community productivity but the effect of species diversity wasstronger and increased over time, while the effect of structural diversity declined. The temporal stability of community productivity increased with increasingspecies diversity driven by two principal processes: species asynchrony and overyielding. Along with increased stability, the benefits of mixing on productivitywere highest during a strong El Niño phenomenon, characterized by low precipitation. This suggests a higher resistance of the examined mixtures to droughts.These results provide new insights into mixing effects in diverse, tropical plantations and highlight the importance of analyses of temporal dynamics for ourunderstanding of the complex relationships between diversity, productivity and stability.

KW - Biology

U2 - 10.4336/2019.pfb.39e201902043xxv-iwc

DO - 10.4336/2019.pfb.39e201902043xxv-iwc

M3 - Conference abstract in journal

VL - 39

SP - 149

EP - 149

JO - Brazilian Journal of Forestry Research

JF - Brazilian Journal of Forestry Research

SN - 1809-3647

IS - Special Issue

T2 - XXV IUFRO World Congress 2019

Y2 - 29 September 2019 through 5 October 2019

ER -