Large-sized rare tree species contribute disproportionately to functional diversity in resource acquisition in African tropical forest.

ABSTRACT: Increasing evidence is available for a positive effect of biodiversity on ecosystem productivity and standing biomass, also in highly diverse systems as tropical forests. Biodiversity conservation could therefore be a critical aspect of climate mitigation policies. There is, however, limited understanding of the role of individual species for this relationship, which could aid in focusing conservation efforts and forest management planning. This study characterizes the functional specialization and redundancy for 95% of all tree species (basal area weighted percentage) in a diverse tropical forest in the central Congo Basin and relates this to species' abundance, contribution to aboveground carbon, and maximum size. Functional characterization is based on a set of traits related to resourc

SUBMITTER: Kearsley E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6476792 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature