Tree species richness increases ecosystem carbon storage in subtropical forests.

ABSTRACT: Forest ecosystems are an integral component of the global carbon cycle as they take up and release large amounts of C over short time periods (C flux) or accumulate it over longer time periods (C stock). However, there remains uncertainty about whether and in which direction C fluxes and in particular C stocks may differ between forests of high versus low species richness. Based on a comprehensive dataset derived from field-based measurements, we tested the effect of species richness (3-20 tree species) and stand age (22-116 years) on six compartments of above- and below-ground C stocks and four components of C fluxes in subtropical forests in southeast China. Across forest stands, total C stock was 149 ± 12 Mg ha^-1 with richness explaining 28.5% and age explaining 29.4% of vari

SUBMITTER: Liu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6125896 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature