Global patterns and climatic controls of forest structural complexity

Martin Ehbrecht (), Dominik Seidel, Peter Annighöfer, Holger Kreft, Michael Köhler, Delphine Clara Zemp, Klaus Puettmann, Reuben Nilus, Fred Babweteera, Katharina Willim, Melissa Stiers, Daniel Soto, Hans Juergen Boehmer, Nicholas Fisichelli, Michael Burnett, Glenn Juday, Scott L. Stephens and Christian Ammer
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Martin Ehbrecht: University of Göttingen
Dominik Seidel: University of Göttingen
Peter Annighöfer: Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Holger Kreft: University of Göttingen
Michael Köhler: Northwest German Forest Research Institute
Delphine Clara Zemp: University of Göttingen
Klaus Puettmann: Oregon State University
Reuben Nilus: Forest Research Centre, Sabah Forestry Department
Fred Babweteera: Budongo Conservation Field Station
Katharina Willim: University of Göttingen
Melissa Stiers: University of Göttingen
Daniel Soto: Universidad de Aysén
Hans Juergen Boehmer: University of the South Pacific
Nicholas Fisichelli: Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park
Michael Burnett: Stanford University
Glenn Juday: University of Alaska Fairbanks
Scott L. Stephens: University of California
Christian Ammer: University of Göttingen

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract The complexity of forest structures plays a crucial role in regulating forest ecosystem functions and strongly influences biodiversity. Yet, knowledge of the global patterns and determinants of forest structural complexity remains scarce. Using a stand structural complexity index based on terrestrial laser scanning, we quantify the structural complexity of boreal, temperate, subtropical and tropical primary forests. We find that the global variation of forest structural complexity is largely explained by annual precipitation and precipitation seasonality (R² = 0.89). Using the structural complexity of primary forests as benchmark, we model the potential structural complexity across biomes and present a global map of the potential structural complexity of the earth´s forest ecoregions. Our analyses reveal distinct latitudinal patterns of forest structure and show that hotspots of high structural complexity coincide with hotspots of plant diversity. Considering the mechanistic underpinnings of forest structural complexity, our results suggest spatially contrasting changes of forest structure with climate change within and across biomes.

Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-20767-z

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20767-z

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