forest ecology; forest management; biodiversity-ecosystem functionning research; tree diversity; mixed forest; field experiment
Abstract :
[en] Context – During the last two decades, functional biodiversity research has provided strong support for the hypothesis that more biodiverse ecosystems have the potential to deliver more and better services. However, most empirical support for this hypothesis comes from simple structured communities that are relatively easy to manipulate. The impact of forest biodiversity on forest ecosystem functioning has been far less studied.
Experiment design – In this paper, we present the recently established, large-scale FORBIO experiment (FORest BIOdiversity and Ecosystem Functioning), specifically designed to test the effects of tree species diversity on forest ecosystem functioning. FORBIO’s design matches with that of the few other tree diversity experiments worldwide, but at the same time, the FORBIO experiment is unique as it consists of a similar experimental set-up at three sites in Belgium (Zedelgem, Hechtel-Eksel and Gedinne) with contrasting edaphic and climatological c haracteristics. This design will help to provide answers to one of the most interesting unresolved questions in functional biodiversity research, notably whether the effects of
complementarity on ecosystem functioning decrease in less stressful and more productive environments. At each site, FORBIO consists of 41 to 44 plots (127 plots in total) planted with monocultures and mixtures up to four species, selected from a pool of five site-adapted, functionally different tree species. When allocating the treatments to the plots, we maximally avoided any possible covariation between environmental factors. Monitoring of ecosystem functioning already started at the Zedelgem and Gedinne sites and will start soon in Hechtel-Eksel. Multiple processes are being measured and as the trees grow older, we plan to add even
more processes.
Expected results – Not only basic science, but also forest management will benefit from the results coming from the FORBIO experiment, as FORBIO is, for instance, also a test case for uncommon, not well-known tree species mixtures. To conclude, FORBIO is an important ecosystem experiment that has the potential to deliver badly needed insights into the multiple relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, which will be valuable for both science and practice.
scite shows how a scientific paper has been cited by providing the context of the citation, a classification describing whether it supports, mentions, or contrasts the cited claim, and a label indicating in which section the citation was made.
Bibliography
Aerts R., Honnay O. (2011) Forest restoration, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. BMC Ecology 11, 29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-6785-11-29
Balvanera P., Pfisterer A.B., Buchmann N., He J.S., Nakashizuka T., Raffaelli D., Schmid B. (2006) Quantifying the evidence for biodiversity effects on ecosystem functioning and services. Ecology Letters 9: 1146-1156. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.14610248.2006.00963.x
Bertness M.D., Callaway R. (1994) The role of positive forces in natural communities. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 9: 191-193.
Bock L. (coord.) (2007) Légende de la Carte Numérique des Sols de Wallonie - version 2. Gembloux, Faculté universitaire des Sciences agronomiques de Gembloux, Laboratoire de Géopédologie, en relation avec le PCNSW (convention pour le compte de la Région Wallonne - DGA).
Campioli M., Vincke, C., Jonard, M., Kint, V., Demarée, G., Ponette Q. (2012) Current status and predicted impact of climate change on forest production and biogeochemistry in the temperate oceanic European zone: review and prospects for Belgium as a case study. Journal of Forest Research 17: 1-18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10310-011-0255-8
Cardinale B.J., Matulich K.L., Hooper D.U., Byrnes J.E., Duffy E., Gamfeldt L., Balvanera P., O'Connor M.I., Gonzalez A. (2011) The functional role of producer diversity in ecosystems. American Journal of Botany 98: 572-592. http://dx.doi.org/10.3732/ ajb.1000364
Carnol M., Verheyen K. (2010) Les services écosystémiques dans les forêts mélangées et pures: perception des utilisateurs et connaissances scientifiques. Forêt Wallone 106: 49-59.
Castagneyrol B., Lagache L., Giffard B., Kremer K., Jactel H. (2012) Genetic diversity increases insect herbivory on oak saplings. PLoS One 7(8): e44247. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0044247
de Ferraris J.J.F. (1771-1778) Kabinetskaart van de Oostenrijkse Nederlanden
Dybzinski R., Fargione J.E., Zak D.R., Fornara D., Tilman D. (2008) Soil fertility increases with plant species diversity in a long-term biodiversity experiment. Oecologia 158: 85-93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00442-008-1123-x
FAO (2010) Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010 Main report. Rome, FAO.
Gamfeldt L., Hillebrand H., Jonsson P.R. (2008) Multiple functions increase the importance of biodiversity for overall ecosystem functioning. Ecology 89: 1223-1231. http://dx.doi. org/10.1890/06-2091.1
Gessner M.O., Swan C.M., Dang C.K., McKie B.G., Bardgett R.D., Wall D.H., Hättenschwiler S. (2010) Diversity meets decomposition. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 25: 372-380. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2010.01.010
Hector A., Schmid B., Beierkuhnlein C., Caldeira M.C., Diemer M., Dimitrakopoulos P.G., Finn J.A., Freitas H., Giller P.S., Good J., et al. (1999) Plant diversity and productivity experiments in European grassland. Science 286: 1123-1127. http://dx.doi. org/10.1126/science.286.5442.1123
Hector A., Bagchi R. (2007) Biodiversity and ecosystem multi functionality. Nature 448: 188-190. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature05947
Hector A., Bell T., Connolly J., Finn J., Fox J., Kirwan L., Loreau M., McLaren J., Schmid B., Weigelt A. (2009) The analysis of biodiversity experiments: from pattern toward mechanism. In: Naeem S., Bunker D.E., Hector A., Loreau M., Perrings C. (eds) Biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and human wellbeing: an ecological and economic perspective: 94-104. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Hermy M., Honnay O., Firbank L., Grashof-Bokdam C.J., Lawesson J.E. (1999) An ecological comparison between ancient and other forest plant species of Europe, and the implications for forest conservation. Biological Conservation 91: 9-22. http:// dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(99)00045-2
Hobbie S.E., Reich P.B., Oleksyn J., Ogdahl M., Zytkowiak R., Hale C.M., Karolewski P. (2006) Tree species effects on decomposition and forest floor dynamics in a common garden. Ecology 87: 2288-2297 http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/00129658(2006)87%5B2288:TSEODA%5D2.0.CO;2
Hooper D.U., Chapin F.S., Ewel J.J., Hector A., Inchausti P., Lavorel S., Lawton J.H., Lodge D.M., Loreau M., Naeem S., et al. (2005) Effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning: a consensus of current knowledge. Ecological Monographs 75: 3-35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/04-0922
Hooper D.U., Adair E.C., Cardinale B.J., Byrnes J.E.K., Hungate B.A., Matulich K.L., Gonzalez A., Duffy J.E., Gamfeldt L., O'Connor M.I. (2012) A global synthesis reveals biodiversity loss as a major driver of ecosystem change. Nature 486: 105-108. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature11118
IUSS Working Group WRB (2006) World reference base for soil resources 2006. World Soil Resources Reports No. 103. Rome, FAO.
Leuschner C., Jungkunst H.F., Fleck S. (2009) Functional role of forest diversity: pros and cons of synthetic stands and acrosssite comparisons in established forests. Basic and Applied Ecology 10: 1-9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2008.06.001
Loreau M., Hector A. (2001) Partitioning selection and complementarity in biodiversity experiments. Nature 412: 72-76. http:// dx.doi.org/10.1038/35083573
Maron J. L., Marler M., Klironomos J. N., Cleveland C.C. (2011) Soil fungal pathogens and the relationship between plant diversity and productivity. Ecology Letters 14: 36-41. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2010.01547.x
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) Ecosystems and human well-being: synthesis. Washington DC, Island Press.
Morin X., Fahse L., Scherer-Lorenzen M., Bugmann H. (2011) Tree species richness promotes productivity in temperate forests through strong complementarity between species. Ecology Letters 14: 1211-1219. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01691.x
Nadrowski K., Wirth C., Scherer-Lorenzen M. (2010) Is forest diversity driving ecosystem function and service? Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 2: 75-79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2010.02.003
Oliver C.D., Larson B.C. (1996) Forest stand dynamics. Update edition. New York, John Wiley & Sons.
Pacala S.W., Kinzig A.P. (2002) Introduction to theory and the common ecosystem model. In: Kinzig A.P., Pacala S.W., Tilman D. (eds) Functional consequences of biodiversity: empirical progress and theoretical extensions: 169-174. Princeton, Princeton University Press.
Paquette A., Messier. C. (2011) The effect of biodiversity on tree productivity: from temperate to boreal forests. Global Ecology & Biogeography 20:170-180. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-8238.2010.00592.x
Rockström J., Steffen W., Noone K., Persson Å, Chapin F.S., Lambin E.F., Lenton T.M., Scheffer M., Folke C., Schellnhuber H.J., et al. (2009) A safe operating space for humanity. Nature 461: 472-475. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/461472a
Scherber C., Eisenhauer N., Weisser W.W., Schmid B., Voigt W., Fischer M., Schulze E.-D., Roscher C., Weigelt A., Allan E., Beßler H., et al. (2010) Bottom-up effects of plant diversity on multitrophic interactions in a biodiversity experiment. Nature 468: 553-556. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature09492
Scherer-Lorenzen M., Potvin C., Koricheva J., Schmid B., Hector A., Bornik Z., Reynolds G., Schulze E.-D. (2005) The design of experimental tree plantations for functional biodiversity research. In: Scherer-Lorenzen M., Körner C., Schulze E.D. (eds) The functional significance of forest diversity: a synthesis: 347-376. Heidelberg, Springer.
Scherer-Lorenzen M., Schulze E.-D., Schumacher J., Weller E. (2007) Exploring the functional significance of forest diversity: a new long-term experiment with temperate tree species (BIOTREE). Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 9: 53-70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2007.08.002
Schnitzer S.A., Klironomos J.N., Lambers J.H.R., Kinkel L.L., Reich P.B., Xiao K., Rillig M.C., Sikes B.A., Callaway R.M., Mangan S.A., van Nes E.H., Scheffer M. (2011) Soil microbes drive the classic plant diversity-productivity pattern. Ecology 92: 296-303. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/10-0773.1
Sevenant M., Menschaert J., Couvreur M., Ronse A., Antrop M., Geypens M., Hermy M., De Blust G. (2002) Ecodistricten: ruimtelijke eenheden voor gebiedsgericht milieubeleid in Vlaanderen. Studieopdracht in het kader van actie 134 van het Vlaams Milieubeleidsplan 1997-2001. Brussels, Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap, Administratie Milieu, Natuur, Landen Waterbeheer.
Steudel B., Hector A., Friedl T., Löfke C., Lorenz M., Wesche M., Kessler. M. (2012) Biodiversity effects on ecosystem functioning change along environmental stress gradients. Ecology Letters 15: 1397-1405. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01863.x
Suding K.N., Lavorel S., Chapin F.S., Cornelissen J.H.C., Diaz S., Garnier E., Goldberg D., Hooper D.U., Jackson S.T., Navas M.L. (2008) Scaling environmental change through the community-level: a trait-based response-and-effect framework for plants. Global Change Biology 14: 1125-1140. http://dx.doi. org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2008.01557.x
Tilman D., Reich P.B., Knops J., Wedin D., Mielke T., Lehman C. (2001) Diversity and productivity in a long-term grassland experiment. Science 294: 843-845. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1060391
Van Ranst E., Sys C. (2000) Eenduidige legende voor de digitale bodemkaart van Vlaanderen (schaal 1: 20 000). Gent, Laboratorium voor Bodemkunde, Universiteit Gent.
van Ruijven J., Berendse F. (2005) Diversity-productivity relationships: Initial effects, long-term patterns, and underlying mechanisms. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 102: 695-700. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0407524102
Vehviläinen H., Koricheva J. (2006) Moose and vole browsing patterns in experimentally assembled pure and mixed forest stands. Ecography 29: 497-506. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0906-7590.2006.04457.x
Vilà M., Inchausti P., Vayreda J., Barrantes O., Gracia C., Ibáñez J.J., Mata T. (2005) Confounding factors in the observational productivity diversity relationship in forests. In: Scherer-Lorenzen M., Körner C., Schulze E.D. (eds) Forest diversity and function: temperate and boreal systems: 65-86. Heidelberg, Springer.
Vilà M., Vayreda J., Comas L., Ibáñez J.J., Mata T., Obón B. (2007) Species richness and wood production: a positive association in Mediterranean forests. Ecology Letters 10: 241-250. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2007.01016.x
This website uses cookies to improve user experience. Read more
Save & Close
Accept all
Decline all
Show detailsHide details
Cookie declaration
About cookies
Strictly necessary
Performance
Strictly necessary cookies allow core website functionality such as user login and account management. The website cannot be used properly without strictly necessary cookies.
This cookie is used by Cookie-Script.com service to remember visitor cookie consent preferences. It is necessary for Cookie-Script.com cookie banner to work properly.
Performance cookies are used to see how visitors use the website, eg. analytics cookies. Those cookies cannot be used to directly identify a certain visitor.
Used to store the attribution information, the referrer initially used to visit the website
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit. Websites use cookies to help users navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. Cookies that are required for the website to operate properly are allowed to be set without your permission. All other cookies need to be approved before they can be set in the browser.
You can change your consent to cookie usage at any time on our Privacy Policy page.