Functional Diversity Explains Ecosystem Carbon Storage in Subtropical Forests.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Forest Science
• Climate Change Research

Background:

• Forest carbon storage is influenced by biodiversity and environmental factors.
• Biodiversity impacts carbon storage via niche complementarity and selection effects.
• The interplay between these factors in subtropical forests is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess diversity attributes and carbon storage across subtropical forest types.
• To examine relationships between forest diversity, carbon storage, and environmental factors.
• To clarify the mechanisms driving carbon storage in these ecosystems.

Main Methods:

• Studied tree, shrub, and herb layers in coniferous, mixed, and broad-leaved forests.
• Quantified aboveground, belowground, and total carbon storage.
• Analyzed relationships between diversity metrics, carbon stocks, and environmental variables.

Main Results:

• Broad-leaved forests showed higher carbon storage potential.
• Environmental factors significantly impacted belowground carbon; species diversity was also influential.
• Functional diversity strongly affected aboveground and total carbon stocks, followed by functional traits and environment.
• Herb layer biodiversity correlated linearly with carbon storage.
• Selection effects were more dominant than niche complementarity.

Conclusions:

• Environmental factors directly and indirectly influence forest carbon storage through plant traits.
• Afforestation strategies should favor broad-leaved species for enhanced carbon sequestration.
• Understory vegetation and environmental influences on biodiversity are critical for climate change mitigation.