Home Forest Ecosystems Article
PDF (3 MB)
Cite
EndNote(RIS) BibTeX
Collect
Research Article | Open Access

Stand biomass of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica plantations benefits from high density monocultures in the boreal zone

Bingming Chena,b, Shensi Liua,b, Jinghua Yua,b,c,d, Yanqing Huanga,c, Shuai Yua,d, Huanchu Liua,b, Tianyu Zhanga,b, Xiangdong Liue, Guangze Jinf,g,h, Wei Chena,b,c,d(), Xingyuan Hea,b,c,d
CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
Shenyang Arboretum, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China
Liaoning Shenyang Urban Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Shenyang 110164, China
College of Forestry, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, China
Center for Ecological Research, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
Northeast Asia Biodiversity Research Center, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
Show Author Information

Abstract

Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica (P. sylvestris) plantations are extensively established in the boreal zone. Increasing stand biomass of these plantations can effectively enhance carbon stock, which is crucial for mitigating climate change. However, the current understanding of optimizing plantation strategies to maximize stand biomass is primarily derived from experiments in tropical and subtropical zones, which is difficult to extend to the boreal due to substantial climatic differences. Based on a comprehensive dataset from 1,076 sample plots of P. sylvestris plantations in the boreal zone of China, we evaluated the effects of tree species richness and stand density on tree height, diameter at breast height (DBH), and stand biomass to investigate the optimal plantation strategy. Furthermore, we examined how these effects changed with stand age and investigated their relative importance. We found that monocultures at a high stand density of 2,000–2,500 ​ha−1 were the optimal plantation strategy to maximize stand biomass (107.5 ​Mg·ha−1), and this held true at almost all stand ages. Unfortunately, this strategy resulted in low species richness and small individual trees (10.6 ​m height and 9.8 ​cm DBH), thus presenting a trade-off. In addition, as stand age increased, the effect of tree species richness on stand biomass shifted from positive to negative, but the effect of stand density was always positive. Overall, stand age had the greatest effect on stand biomass, followed by stand density and then tree species richness. Our findings reveal a distinct plantation strategy for optimizing stand biomass of P. sylvestris plantations in the boreal zone. More importantly, this study highlights that (1) maximizing stand biomass in the boreal zone may compromise tree species richness; (2) net effects of tree species richness on stand biomass are not always positive, as negative selection effects offset positive complementary effects.

Keywords

Boreal forestsCold regionForestry applicationMongolian Scots pinePlanting strategyTree diversity

References

 

Abbasi, U.A., Gilani, H., Hussain, K., Ali, A., 2023. Increasing stand stature weakens the positive effects of tree richness and structural imbalance on aboveground biomass in temperate forests: the stand stature hypothesis. For. Ecol. Manag. 539, 121040. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2023.121040.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Ahmad, B., Wang, Y., Hao, J., Liu, Y., Bohnett, E., Zhang, K., 2021. Variation of carbon density components with overstory structure of larch plantations in northwest China and its implication for optimal forest management. For. Ecol. Manag. 496, 119399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119399.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Barrufol, M., Schmid, B., Bruelheide, H., Chi, X., Hector, A., Ma, K., Michalski, S., Tang, Z., Niklaus, P.A., 2013. Biodiversity promotes tree growth during succession in subtropical forest. PLoS One 8, e81246. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0081246.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Bartelink, H.H., 1998. Radiation interception by forest trees: a simulation study on effects of stand density and foliage clustering on absorption and transmission. Ecol. Model. 105, 213–225. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3800(97)00165-8.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Blanco, J.A., Lo, Y.H., 2012. Forest Ecosystems - More than Just Trees. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/1127.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Borcard, D., Legendre, P., Drapeau, P., 1992. Partialling out the spatial component of ecological variation. Ecology 73, 1045–1055. https://doi.org/10.2307/1940179.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Bukoski, J.J., Cook-Patton, S.C., Melikov, C., Ban, H., Chen, J.L., Goldman, E.D., Harris, N.L., Potts, M.D., 2022. Rates and drivers of aboveground carbon accumulation in global monoculture plantation forests. Nat. Commun. 13, 4206. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31380-7.

Crossref Google Scholar
 
Burkhart, H., Tomé, M., 2012. Modeling Forest Trees and Stands. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3170-9.
Crossref
 

Chiang, J.M., Spasojevic, M.J., Muller-Landau, H.C., Sun, I.F., Lin, Y., Su, S.H., Chen, Z.S., Chen, C.T., Swenson, N.G., McEwan, R.W., 2016. Functional composition drives ecosystem function through multiple mechanisms in a broadleaved subtropical forest. Oecologia 182, 829–840. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-016-3717-z.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Civitello, D.J., Cohen, J., Fatima, H., Halstead, N.T., Liriano, J., McMahon, T.A., Ortega, C.N., Sauer, E.L., Sehgal, T., Young, S., Rohr, J.R., 2015. Biodiversity inhibits parasites: broad evidence for the dilution effect. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 112, 8667–8671. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1506279112.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Dyola, N., Sigdel, S.R., Liang, E., Babst, F., Camarero, J.J., Aryal, S., Chettri, N., Gao, S., Lu, X., Sun, J., Wang, T., Zhang, G., Zhu, H., Piao, S., Peñuelas, J., 2022. Species richness is a strong driver of forest biomass along broad bioclimatic gradients in the Himalayas. Ecosphere 13, e4107. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4107.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Fang, J., Guo, Z., Hu, H., Kato, T., Muraoka, H., Son, Y., 2014. Forest biomass carbon sinks in East Asia, with special reference to the relative contributions of forest expansion and forest growth. Global Change Biol. 20, 2019–2030. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12512.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Feng, H., Xue, L., 2019. Competition-density effect of tree organs in Acacia auriculiformis stands. J. For. Res. 30, 891–898. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-018-0662-1.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Feng, Y., Schmid, B., Loreau, M., Forrester, D.I., Fei, S., Zhu, J., Tang, Z., Zhu, J., Hong, P., Ji, C., Shi, Y., Su, H., Xiong, X., Xiao, J., Wang, S., Fang, J., 2022. Multispecies forest plantations outyield monocultures across a broad range of conditions. Science 376, 865–868. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abm6363.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Fichtner, A., Härdtle, W., Bruelheide, H., Kunz, M., Li, Y., von Oheimb, G., 2018. Neighbourhood interactions drive overyielding in mixed-species tree communities. Nat. Commun. 9, 1144. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-03529-w.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Foster, J.R., Finley, A.O., D'Amato, A.W., Bradford, J.B., Banerjee, S., 2016. Predicting tree biomass growth in the temperate-boreal ecotone: is tree size, age, competition, or climate response most important? Global Change Biol. 22, 2138–2151. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13208.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Godoy, O., Gómez-Aparicio, L., Matías, L., Pérez-Ramos, I.M., Allan, E., 2020. An excess of niche differences maximizes ecosystem functioning. Nat. Commun. 11, 4180. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-17960-5.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Hakamada, R.E., Hubbard, R.M., Moreira, G.G., Stape, J.L., Campoe, O., Ferraz, S.F. de B., 2020. Influence of stand density on growth and water use efficiency in Eucalyptus clones. For. Ecol. Manag. 466, 118125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2020.118125.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Halifu, S., Deng, X., Song, X., An, Y., Song, R., 2019. Effects of sphaeropsis blight on rhizosphere soil bacterial community structure and soil physicochemical properties of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica in Zhanggutai, China. Forests 10, 954. https://doi.org/10.3390/f10110954.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Hebert, F., Krause, C., Plourde, P.Y., Achim, A., Pregent, G., Menetrier, J., 2016. Effect of tree spacing on tree level volume growth, morphology, and wood properties in a 25-year-old Pinus banksiana plantation in the boreal forest of Quebec. Forests 7, 276. https://doi.org/10.3390/f7110276.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

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., Schmid, B., Setala, H., Symstad, A.J., Vandermeer, J., Wardle, D.A., 2005. Effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning: a consensus of current knowledge. Ecol. Monogr. 75, 3–35. https://doi.org/10.1890/04-0922.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Huang, Y., Schuldt, A., Hönig, L., Yang, B., Liu, X., Bruelheide, H., Ma, K., Schmid, B., Niklaus, P.A., 2022. Effects of enemy exclusion on biodiversity–productivity relationships in a subtropical forest experiment. J. Ecol. 110, 2167–2178. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13940.

Crossref Google Scholar
 
IUSS, 2015. World Reference Base for Soil Resources 2014. World Soil Resources Reports No. 106. FAO, Rome, Italy.
 

Jagodziński, A.M., Dyderski, M.K., Gęsikiewicz, K., Horodecki, P., Cysewska, A., Wierczyńska, S., Maciejczyk, K., 2018. How do tree stand parameters affect young Scots pine biomass? – Allometric equations and biomass conversion and expansion factors. For. Ecol. Manag. 409, 74–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2017.11.001.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Jones, M.C., Harden, J., O'Donnell, J., Manies, K., Jorgenson, T., Treat, C., Ewing, S., 2017. Rapid carbon loss and slow recovery following permafrost thaw in boreal peatlands. Global Change Biol. 23, 1109–1127. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13403.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Kim, H.S., Palmroth, S., Thérézien, M., Stenberg, P., Oren, R., Niinemets, Ü., 2011. Analysis of the sensitivity of absorbed light and incident light profile to various canopy architecture and stand conditions. Tree Physiol. 31, 30–47. https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpq098.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Lefcheck, J.S., 2016. piecewiseSEM: piecewise structural equation modelling in r for ecology, evolution, and systematics. Methods Ecol. Evol. 7, 573–579. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12512.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Li, S., Lang, X., Liu, W., Ou, G., Xu, H., Su, J., 2018. The relationship between species richness and aboveground biomass in a primary Pinus kesiya forest of Yunnan, southwestern China. PLoS One 13, e0191140. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191140.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Liu, Y.Y., Wang, A.Y., An, Y.N., Lian, P.Y., Wu, D.D., Zhu, J.J., Meinzer, F.C., Hao, G.Y., 2018. Hydraulics play an important role in causing low growth rate and dieback of aging Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica trees in plantations of Northeast China. Plant Cell Environ. 41, 1500–1511. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.13160.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Long, J.N., Vacchiano, G., 2014. A comprehensive framework of forest stand property–density relationships: perspectives for plant population ecology and forest management. Ann. For. Sci. 71, 325–335. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-013-0351-3.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Loreau, M., Hector, A., 2001. Partitioning selection and complementarity in biodiversity experiments. Nature 412, 72–76. https://doi.org/10.1038/35083573.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Molina-Valero, J.A., Camarero, J.J., Álvarez-González, J.G., Cerioni, M., Hevia, A., Sánchez-Salguero, R., Martin-Benito, D., Pérez-Cruzado, C., 2021. Mature forests hold maximum live biomass stocks. For. Ecol. Manag. 480, 118635. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2020.118635.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Ouyang, S., Xiang, W., Wang, X., Xiao, W., Chen, L., Li, S., Sun, H., Deng, X., Forrester, D.I., Zeng, L., Lei, P., Lei, X., Gou, M., Peng, C., 2019. Effects of stand age, richness and density on productivity in subtropical forests in China. J. Ecol. 107, 2266–2277. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13194.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Pimm, S., Roulet, N., Weaver, A., 2009. Boreal forests' carbon stores need better management. Nature 462 276–276. https://doi.org/10.1038/462276a.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Polley, H.W., Wilsey, B.J., Derner, J.D., 2003. Do species evenness and plant density influence the magnitude of selection and complementarity effects in annual plant species mixtures? Ecol. Lett. 6, 248–256. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1461-0248.2003.00422.x.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Postma, J.A., Hecht, V.L., Hikosaka, K., Nord, E.A., Pons, T.L., Poorter, H., 2021. Dividing the pie: a quantitative review on plant density responses. Plant Cell Environ. 44, 1072–1094. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.13968.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Pretzsch, H., Steckel, M., Heym, M., Biber, P., Ammer, C., Ehbrecht, M., Bielak, K., Bravo, F., Ordonez, C., Collet, C., Vast, F., Drossler, L., Brazaitis, G., Godvod, K., Jansons, A., de-Dios-Garcia, J., Lof, M., Aldea, J., Korboulewsky, N., Reventlow, D.O.J., Nothdurft, A., Enge, M., Pach, M., Skrzyszewski, J., Pardos, M., Ponette, Q., Sitko, R., Fabrika, M., Svoboda, M., Cerny, J., Wolff, B., Ruiz-Peinado, R., del Rio, M., 2020. Stand growth and structure of mixed-species and monospecific stands of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and oak (Q. robur L., Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.) analysed along a productivity gradient through Europe. Eur. J. For. Res. 139, 349–367. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-019-01233-y.

Crossref Google Scholar
 
R Core Team, 2022. R: a Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria.
 

Repo, A., Rajala, T., Henttonen, H.M., Lehtonen, A., Peltoniemi, M., Heikkinen, J., 2021. Age-dependence of stand biomass in managed boreal forests based on the Finnish National Forest Inventory data. For. Ecol. Manag. 498, 119507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119507.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Reynolds, J.H., Ford, E.D., 2005. Improving competition representation in theoretical models of self-thinning: a critical review. J. Ecol. 93, 362–372. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2005.00976.x.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Schmid, B., Niklaus, P.A., 2017. Biodiversity: complementary canopies. Nat. Ecol. Evol. 1, 1–2. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-017-0104.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Steckel, M., Heym, M., Wolff, B., Reventlow, D.O.J., Pretzsch, H., 2019. Transgressive overyielding in mixed compared with monospecific Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and oak (Quercus robur L., Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.) stands – productivity gains increase with annual water supply. For. Ecol. Manag. 439, 81–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2019.02.038.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Trogisch, S., Liu, X., Rutten, G., Xue, K., Bauhus, J., Brose, U., Bu, W., Cesarz, S., Chesters, D., Connolly, J., Cui, X., Eisenhauer, N., Guo, L., Haider, S., Härdtle, W., Kunz, M., Liu, L., Ma, Z., Neumann, S., Sang, W., Schuldt, A., Tang, Z., van Dam, N.M., von Oheimb, G., Wang, M.Q., Wang, S., Weinhold, A., Wirth, C., Wubet, T., Xu, X., Yang, B., Zhang, N., Zhu, C.D., Ma, K., Wang, Y., Bruelheide, H., 2021. The significance of tree-tree interactions for forest ecosystem functioning. Basic Appl. Ecol. 55, 33–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2021.02.003.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Vospernik, S., Sterba, H., 2015. Do competition-density rule and self-thinning rule agree? Ann. For. Sci 72. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-014-0433-x.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Wade, R.K., 2018. Models for plant self-thinning. Ecosphere 9, e02219. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2219.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Wang, S., Isbell, F., Deng, W., Hong, P., Dee, L.E., Thompson, P., Loreau, M., 2021. How complementarity and selection affect the relationship between ecosystem functioning and stability. Ecology 102, e03347. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3347.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Wegiel, A., Polowy, K., 2020. Aboveground carbon content and storage in mature Scots Pine stands of different densities. Forests 11, 240. https://doi.org/10.3390/f11020240.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Williams, L.J., Paquette, A., Cavender-Bares, J., Messier, C., Reich, P.B., 2017. Spatial complementarity in tree crowns explains overyielding in species mixtures. Nat. Ecol. Evol. 1, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-016-0063.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Yu, Z., You, W., Agathokleous, E., Zhou, G., Liu, S., 2021. Forest management required for consistent carbon sink in China's forest plantations. Forest Ecosyst 8, 54. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40663-021-00335-7.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Zeller, L., Ammer, Ch, Annighöfer, P., Biber, P., Marshall, J., Schütze, G., del Río Gaztelurrutia, M., Pretzsch, H., 2017. Tree ring wood density of Scots pine and European beech lower in mixed-species stands compared with monocultures. For. Ecol. Manag. 400, 363–374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2017.06.018.

Crossref Google Scholar
 

Zhang, Y., Chen, H.Y.H., 2015. Individual size inequality links forest diversity and above-ground biomass. J. Ecol. 103, 1245–1252. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12425.

Crossref Google Scholar
Forest Ecosystems
Volume 11 Issue 5,
October 2024
Article number: 100222
DOI: 10.1016/j.fecs.2024.100222
Cite this article:
Chen B, Liu S, Yu J, et al. Stand biomass of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica plantations benefits from high density monocultures in the boreal zone. Forest Ecosystems, 2024, 11(5): 100222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fecs.2024.100222
Metrics & Citations  
Article History
Copyright
Rights and Permissions
Return