Early overyielding in a mixed deciduous forest is driven by both above- and below-ground species-specific acclimatization

作者：Ramona Werner, Lisa T Gasser, Matthias Steinparzer, Mathias Mayer, Iftekhar Uddin Ahmed, Hans Sandén, Douglas L. Godbold, Boris Rewald · 发表于：Annals of Botany · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1093/aob/mcae150 · 被引用次数：6 · 研究领域：Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics、Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies、Agroforestry and silvopastoral systems

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Mixed forest plantations are increasingly recognized for their role in mitigating the impacts of climate change and enhancing ecosystem resilience. Yet, there remains a significant gap in understanding the early-stage dynamics of species trait diversity and interspecies interactions, particularly in pure deciduous mixtures. This study aims to explore the timing and mechanisms by which trait diversity of deciduous species and competitive interactions influence yield, carbon allocation and space occupation in mixed forests, both above and below ground. METHODS: A forest inventory was conducted in planted monocultures, two-species and four-species mixtures of European Acer, Tilia, Carpinus and Quercus, representing a spectrum from acquisitive to conservative tree species. Effects of competition were assessed with linear mixed-effects models at the level of biomass and space acquisition, including leaf, canopy, stem and fine root traits. KEY RESULTS: Early above-ground growth effects were observed 6 years post-planting, with significant biomass accumulation after 8 years, strongly influenced by species composition. Mixtures, especially with acquisitive species, exhibited above-ground overyielding, 1.5-1.9 times higher than monocultures. Fine roots showed substantial overyielding in high-diversity stands. Biomass allocation was species specific and varied markedly by tree size and the level of diversity and between acquisitive Acer and the more conservative sp...