Widespread slow growth of acquisitive tree species

L. Augusto (), R. Borelle, A. Boča, L. Bon, C. Orazio, A. Arias-González, M. R. Bakker, N. Gartzia-Bengoetxea, H. Auge, F. Bernier, A. Cantero, J. Cavender-Bares, A. H. Correia, A. Schrijver, J. J. Diez-Casero, N. Eisenhauer, M. N. Fotelli, G. Gâteblé, D. L. Godbold, M. Gomes-Caetano-Ferreira, M. J. Gundale, H. Jactel, J. Koricheva, M. Larsson, V. A. Laudicina, A. Legout, J. Martín-García, W. L. Mason, C. Meredieu, S. Mereu, R. A. Montgomery, B. Musch, B. Muys, E. Paillassa, A. Paquette, J. D. Parker, W. C. Parker, Q. Ponette, C. Reynolds, M. J. Rozados-Lorenzo, R. Ruiz-Peinado, X. Santesteban-Insausti, M. Scherer-Lorenzen, F. J. Silva-Pando, A. Smolander, G. Spyroglou, E. B. Teixeira-Barcelos, E. I. Vanguelova, K. Verheyen, L. Vesterdal and M. Charru ()
Additional contact information
L. Augusto: UMR 1391 ISPA
R. Borelle: UMR 1391 ISPA
A. Boča: Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies
L. Bon: UMR 1391 ISPA
C. Orazio: Institut Européen de la Forêt Cultivée (IEFC)
A. Arias-González: Department of Forest Sciences
M. R. Bakker: UMR 1391 ISPA
N. Gartzia-Bengoetxea: Department of Forest Sciences
H. Auge: Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ
F. Bernier: UEFP
A. Cantero: HAZI
J. Cavender-Bares: Harvard University
A. H. Correia: University of Lisbon
A. Schrijver: HOGENT University of Applied Sciences and Arts
J. J. Diez-Casero: University of Valladolid
N. Eisenhauer: German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
M. N. Fotelli: Hellenic Agricultural Organization Dimitra
G. Gâteblé: UEVT
D. L. Godbold: Mendel University in Brno
M. Gomes-Caetano-Ferreira: Angra do Heroísmo
M. J. Gundale: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
H. Jactel: BIOGECO
J. Koricheva: Royal Holloway University of London
M. Larsson: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
V. A. Laudicina: University of Palermo
A. Legout: BEF
J. Martín-García: University of Valladolid
W. L. Mason: Northern Research Station
C. Meredieu: BIOGECO
S. Mereu: Istituto per la BioEconomia
R. A. Montgomery: Harvard University
B. Musch: UMR 0588 BioForA
B. Muys: KU Leuven
E. Paillassa: Institut pour le Développement Forestier (IDF)
A. Paquette: Université du Québec à Montréal
J. D. Parker: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
W. C. Parker: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
Q. Ponette: UCLouvain–Université Catholique de Louvain
C. Reynolds: Alice Holt Lodge
M. J. Rozados-Lorenzo: AGACAL-Centro de Investigación Forestal de Lourizán
R. Ruiz-Peinado: CSIC
X. Santesteban-Insausti: GAN-NIK
M. Scherer-Lorenzen: University of Freiburg
F. J. Silva-Pando: AGACAL-Centro de Investigación Forestal de Lourizán
A. Smolander: Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
G. Spyroglou: Hellenic Agricultural Organization Dimitra
E. B. Teixeira-Barcelos: DROTRH
E. I. Vanguelova: Alice Holt Lodge
K. Verheyen: Ghent University
L. Vesterdal: University of Copenhagen
M. Charru: UMR 1391 ISPA

Nature, 2025, vol. 640, issue 8058, 395-401

Abstract: Abstract Trees are an important carbon sink as they accumulate biomass through photosynthesis1. Identifying tree species that grow fast is therefore commonly considered to be essential for effective climate change mitigation through forest planting. Although species characteristics are key information for plantation design and forest management, field studies often fail to detect clear relationships between species functional traits and tree growth2. Here, by consolidating four independent datasets and classifying the acquisitive and conservative species based on their functional trait values, we show that acquisitive tree species, which are supposedly fast-growing species, generally grow slowly in field conditions. This discrepancy between the current paradigm and field observations is explained by the interactions with environmental conditions that influence growth. Acquisitive species require moist mild climates and fertile soils, conditions that are generally not met in the field. By contrast, conservative species, which are supposedly slow-growing species, show generally higher realized growth due to their ability to tolerate unfavourable environmental conditions. In general, conservative tree species grow more steadily than acquisitive tree species in non-tropical forests. We recommend planting acquisitive tree species in areas where they can realize their fast-growing potential. In other regions, where environmental stress is higher, conservative tree species have a larger potential to fix carbon in their biomass.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08692-x

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