Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2017
Intraspecific variability in growth response to environmental fluctuations modulates the stabilizing effect of species diversity on forest growth
Aussenac, Raphael; Bergeron, Yves; Mekontchou, Claudele Ghotsa; Gravel, Dominique; Pilch, Kamil; Drobyshev, IgorAbstract
1. Differences between species in their response to environmental fluctuations cause asynchronized growth series, suggesting that species diversity may help communities buffer the effects of environmental fluctuations. However, within-species variability of responses may impact the stabilizing effect of growth asynchrony.2. We used tree ring data to investigate the diversity-stability relationship and its underlying mechanisms within the temperate and boreal mixed woods of Eastern Canada. We worked at the individual tree level to take into account the intraspecific variability of responses to environmental fluctuations.3. We found that species diversity stabilized growth in forest ecosystems. The asynchrony of species' response to climatic fluctuations and to insect outbreaks explained this effect. We also found that the intraspecific variability of responses to environmental fluctuations was high, making the stabilizing effect of diversity highly variable.4. Synthesis. Our results are consistent with previous studies suggesting that the asynchrony of species' response to environmental fluctuations drives the stabilizing effect of diversity. The intraspecific variability of these responses modulates the stabilizing effect of species diversity. Interactions between individuals, variation in tree size and spatial heterogeneity of environmental conditions could play a critical role in the stabilizing effect of diversity.Keywords
biodiversity; dendrochronology; growth asynchrony; plant population and community dynamics; plant-climate interactions; plant-herbivore interactions; plant-plant interactions; tree growthPublished in
Journal of Ecology2017, volume: 105, number: 4, pages: 1010-1020
Publisher: WILEY
Authors' information
Aussenac, Raphaël
Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT)
Bergeron, Yves
Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT)
Mekontchou, Claudele Ghotsa
Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT)
Gravel, Dominique
Université de Sherbrooke
Pilch, Kamil
University of Rzeszów
Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT)
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre
Associated SLU-program
SLU Network Plant Protection
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG15 Life on land
UKÄ Subject classification
Forest Science
Publication Identifiers
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12728
URI (permanent link to this page)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/91014