No relationship between biodiversity and forest carbon sink across the subtropical Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

  • Kauane Maiara Bordin
  • Adriane Esquivel-Muelbert
  • Joice Klipel
  • Rayana Caroline Picolotto
  • Rodrigo Scarton Bergamin
  • Ana Carolina da Silva
  • Pedro Higuchi
  • Elivane Salete Capellesso
  • Márcia Cristina Mendes Marques
  • Alexandre F. Souza
  • Sandra C. Müller
The Brazilian Atlantic Forest (BAF) is a global biodiversity hotspot, but its carbon sink capacity, especially in the subtropical portion, is poorly understood. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between biodiversity measures (i.e., taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity) and net carbon change across subtropical BAF, testing whether there is a win–win situation in the conservation of biodiversity and carbon sink capacity across forests of distinct ages. We obtained the net carbon change from 55 permanent plots, from early successional to old-growth forests, by combining the carbon gains and losses across two censuses. We found that subtropical BAF are on average acting as a carbon sink, but carbon gains and losses varied a lot across plots, especially within late successional/old-growth forests. The carbon sink was consistent across different forest ages, and we did not find a relationship between biodiversity and net carbon change in subtropical BAF. Therefore, conservation programs should aim at both targets in order to maximize the protection of biodiversity and carbon capture across the secondary and old-growth subtropical BAF, especially in a scenario of global changes.
Original languageEnglish
JournalPerspectives in Ecology and Conservation
Volume21
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)112-120
Number of pages9
ISSN2530-0644
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.04.2023
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Associação Brasileira de Ciência Ecológica e Conservação

    Research areas

  • Ecosystems Research - biodiversity conservation, carbon dynamics, forest dynamics, forest productivity, net carbon change, tree mortality