Plant Diversity and Microbial Community Drive Ecosystem Multifunctionality in Castanopsis hystrix Plantations

Area of Science:

• Forestry and Ecology
• Ecosystem Science
• Plantation Management

Background:

• Monoculture plantations face challenges in sustaining ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) due to intensive management and climate change.
• Long-term functional trajectories and drivers of EMF in managed plantations, especially age-dependent dynamics, are poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how stand development influences EMF in Castanopsis hystrix plantations.
• To assess six ecosystem functions across six forest ages to understand age-dependent dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Assessed six ecosystem functions (carbon stocks, wood production, nutrient cycling, decomposition, symbiosis, water regulation) in C. hystrix plantations of varying ages (6-34 years).
• Employed structural equation modeling to identify drivers of EMF, including plant diversity, microbial community composition, and tree biomass profiles.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated substantial age-dependent functional enhancement, with significant increases in carbon stocks and wood production in mature stands.
• Nutrient cycling and water regulation showed intermediate gains with stand maturation.
• Plant diversity and microbial community composition were identified as direct drivers, with tree biomass profiles being the strongest biological predictors of EMF.

Conclusions:

• C. hystrix plantations can achieve high EMF through stand maturation, facilitated by synergistic plant-microbe interactions.
• Conservation of understory vegetation and soil biodiversity is crucial for sustaining EMF.
• Findings provide a science-based framework for climate-resilient plantation management in subtropical regions.