Climate reverses directionality in the richness–abundance relationship across the World’s main forest biomes

Jaime Madrigal-González (), Joaquín Calatayud, Juan A. Ballesteros-Cánovas, Adrián Escudero, Luis Cayuela, Marta Rueda, Paloma Ruiz-Benito, Asier Herrero, Cristina Aponte, Rodrigo Sagardia, Andrew J. Plumptre, Sylvain Dupire, Carlos I. Espinosa, Olga Tutubalina, Moe Myint, Luciano Pataro, Jerome López-Sáez, Manuel J. Macía, Meinrad Abegg, Miguel A. Zavala, Adolfo Quesada-Román, Mauricio Vega-Araya, Elena Golubeva, Yuliya Timokhina and Markus Stoffel
Additional contact information
Jaime Madrigal-González: University of Geneva
Joaquín Calatayud: Umeå University
Juan A. Ballesteros-Cánovas: University of Geneva
Adrián Escudero: Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
Luis Cayuela: Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
Marta Rueda: Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC
Paloma Ruiz-Benito: Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
Asier Herrero: Universidad de Alcalá
Cristina Aponte: The University of Melbourne
Rodrigo Sagardia: Instituto Forestal de Chile
Andrew J. Plumptre: KBA Secretariat for KBA Partnership
Sylvain Dupire: Inrae, LESSEM
Carlos I. Espinosa: Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja
Olga Tutubalina: Lomonosov Moscow State University
Moe Myint: University of Geneva
Luciano Pataro: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Jerome López-Sáez: University of Geneva
Manuel J. Macía: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Meinrad Abegg: Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, WSL
Miguel A. Zavala: Universidad de Alcalá
Adolfo Quesada-Román: University of Geneva
Mauricio Vega-Araya: Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica
Elena Golubeva: Lomonosov Moscow State University
Yuliya Timokhina: Lomonosov Moscow State University
Markus Stoffel: University of Geneva

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract More tree species can increase the carbon storage capacity of forests (here referred to as the more species hypothesis) through increased tree productivity and tree abundance resulting from complementarity, but they can also be the consequence of increased tree abundance through increased available energy (more individuals hypothesis). To test these two contrasting hypotheses, we analyse the most plausible pathways in the richness-abundance relationship and its stability along global climatic gradients. We show that positive effect of species richness on tree abundance only prevails in eight of the twenty-three forest regions considered in this study. In the other forest regions, any benefit from having more species is just as likely (9 regions) or even less likely (6 regions) than the effects of having more individuals. We demonstrate that diversity effects prevail in the most productive environments, and abundance effects become dominant towards the most limiting conditions. These findings can contribute to refining cost-effective mitigation strategies based on fostering carbon storage through increased tree diversity. Specifically, in less productive environments, mitigation measures should promote abundance of locally adapted and stress tolerant tree species instead of increasing species richness.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19460-y

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