Biodiversity–productivity relationships are key to nature-based climate solutions

Akira S. Mori (), Laura E. Dee, Andrew Gonzalez, Haruka Ohashi, Jane Cowles, Alexandra J. Wright, Michel Loreau, Yann Hautier, Tim Newbold, Peter B. Reich, Tetsuya Matsui, Wataru Takeuchi, Kei-ichi Okada, Rupert Seidl and Forest Isbell
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Akira S. Mori: Yokohama National University, Hodogaya
Laura E. Dee: University of Colorado
Andrew Gonzalez: McGill University
Haruka Ohashi: Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization
Jane Cowles: University of Minnesota
Alexandra J. Wright: California State University Los Angeles
Michel Loreau: Theoretical and Experimental Ecology Station, CNRS
Yann Hautier: Utrecht University
Tim Newbold: University College London
Peter B. Reich: University of Minnesota
Tetsuya Matsui: Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization
Wataru Takeuchi: The University of Tokyo
Kei-ichi Okada: Yokohama National University, Hodogaya
Rupert Seidl: Technical University of Munich
Forest Isbell: University of Minnesota

Nature Climate Change, 2021, vol. 11, issue 6, 543-550

Abstract: Abstract The global impacts of biodiversity loss and climate change are interlinked, but the feedbacks between them are rarely assessed. Areas with greater tree diversity tend to be more productive, providing a greater carbon sink, and biodiversity loss could reduce these natural carbon sinks. Here, we quantify how tree and shrub species richness could affect biomass production on biome, national and regional scales. We find that GHG mitigation could help maintain tree diversity and thereby avoid a 9–39% reduction in terrestrial primary productivity across different biomes, which could otherwise occur over the next 50 years. Countries that will incur the greatest economic damages from climate change stand to benefit the most from conservation of tree diversity and primary productivity, which contribute to climate change mitigation. Our results emphasize an opportunity for a triple win for climate, biodiversity and society, and highlight that these co-benefits should be the focus of reforestation programmes.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41558-021-01062-1

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