Aboveground Biomass of Living Trees Depends on Topographic Conditions and Tree Diversity in Temperate Montane Forests from the Slătioara-Rarău Area (Romania)

The study zone includes one of the largest montane old-growth forests in Europe (Slatioara UNESCO site), and understanding the structure and functioning of sill intact forests in Europe is essential for grounding management strategies for secondary forests. For this reason, we set out to analyze the dependencies between aboveground biomass (AgB), tree species and size diversity and terrain morphology, as well as the relationship between biomass and diversity, since neither of these issues have been sufficiently explored. We found that tree species diversity decreases with increased solar radiation and elevation. Tree size heterogeneity reaches its highest mean values at elevations between 1001 and 1100 m, on slopes between 50 and 60 degrees. AgB is differentiated with elevation; the highest mean AgB (293 tonnes per hectare) is recorded at elevations between 801 and 900 m, while it decreases to 79 tonnes per hectare at more than 1500 m a.s.l. It is also influenced by tree species diversity and tree size heterogeneity, with the highest AgB reached in the most complex forest ecosystems in terms of structural diversity. We showed that intact temperate montane forests develop maximum biomass for optimum species diversity and highest size heterogeneity; all three are modulated mainly by elevation.

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Tree Species Diversity, Composition and Aboveground Biomass Across Dry Forest Land-Cover Types in Coastal Ecuador

Tropical Conservation Science ◽

10.1177/1940082921995415 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 ◽

pp. 194008292199541

Author(s):

Xavier Haro-Carrión ◽

Bette Loiselle ◽

Francis E. Putz

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Land Cover ◽

Community Composition ◽

Aboveground Biomass ◽

Tree Species ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Stem Density ◽

Tree Species Diversity ◽

Land Cover Types ◽

Schizolobium Parahyba

Tropical dry forests (TDF) are highly threatened ecosystems that are often fragmented due to land-cover change. Using plot inventories, we analyzed tree species diversity, community composition and aboveground biomass patterns across mature (MF) and secondary forests of about 25 years since cattle ranching ceased (SF), 10–20-year-old plantations (PL), and pastures in a TDF landscape in Ecuador. Tree diversity was highest in MF followed by SF, pastures and PL, but many endemic and endangered species occurred in both MF and SF, which demonstrates the importance of SF for species conservation. Stem density was higher in PL, followed by SF, MF and pastures. Community composition differed between MF and SF due to the presence of different specialist species. Some SF specialists also occurred in pastures, and all species found in pastures were also recorded in SF indicating a resemblance between these two land-cover types even after 25 years of succession. Aboveground biomass was highest in MF, but SF and Tectona grandis PL exhibited similar numbers followed by Schizolobium parahyba PL, Ochroma pyramidale PL and pastures. These findings indicate that although species-poor, some PL equal or surpass SF in aboveground biomass, which highlights the critical importance of incorporating biodiversity, among other ecosystem services, to carbon sequestration initiatives. This research contributes to understanding biodiversity conservation across a mosaic of land-cover types in a TDF landscape.

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Positive relationships among aboveground biomass, tree species diversity, and urban greening management in tropical coastal city of Haikou

Ecology and Evolution ◽

10.1002/ece3.7985 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mir Muhammad Nizamani ◽

AJ Harris ◽

Xia‐Lan Cheng ◽

Zhi‐Xin Zhu ◽

Chi Yung Jim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Aboveground Biomass ◽

Tree Species ◽

Tree Species Diversity ◽

Urban Greening ◽

Positive Relationships ◽

Coastal City

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TREE SPECIES DIVERSITY IN A PRISTINE MONTANE FOREST PREVIOUSLY UNTOUCHED BY HUMAN ACTIVITIES IN FOJA MOUNTAINS, PAPUA, INDONESIA

REINWARDTIA ◽

10.14203/reinwardtia.v17i2.3546 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Asep Sadili ◽

Kuswata Kartawinata ◽

Herwasono Soedjito ◽

Edy Nasriadi Sambas

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Tree Species ◽

Human Activities ◽

Diversity Index ◽

Basal Area ◽

Montane Forest ◽

Tree Species Diversity ◽

Importance Value ◽

Montane Forests ◽

Species Area

ADILI, A., KARTAWINATA, K., SOEDJITO, H. & SAMBAS, E. N. 2018. Tree species diversity in a pristine montane forest previously untouched by human activities in Foja Mountains, Papua, Indonesia. Reinwardtia 17(2): 133‒154. ‒‒ A study on structure and composition of the pristine montane forest previously untouched by human activities was conducted at the Foja Mountains in November 2008. We established a one-hectare plot divided into 100 subplots of 10 m × 10 m each. We enumerated all trees with DBH ≥ 10 cm which diameters were measured, heights were estimated and habitats were noted. We recorded 59 species, 42 genera and 27 families, comprising 693 trees with the total basal area (BA) of 41.35 m2/ha. The forest had lower species richness compared to those of lowland forests in Kalimantan, and Sumatra and montane forests in West Java. The Shannon-Wiener’s diversity index was 3.22. Nothofagus rubra (Importance Value, IV=47.89%) and Parinari corymbosa (IV=40.3%) were the dominant species, constituting the basis for designating the forest as the Nothofagus rubra - Parinari corymbosa association. To date, the dominance of N. rubra is unique to the Foja Mountains, as elsewhere in Papua the montane forests were dominated by N. pullei or other species. The species-area curve indicated a minimal area of 5000 m2. On the family level Fagaceae (IV=53.23%), Chrysobalanaceae (IV=40.53%) and Myristicaceae (IV=26.43%) were dominant. Verti-cally the forest consisted of four strata (A–D). In each stratum Nothofagus rubra, Platea latifolia, Parinari corymbosa and Myristica hollrungii were dominant. The diameter class distribution of Nothofagus rubra, Parinari corymbosa and Platea latifolia led us to assume that these species were regenerating well.

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