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Species richness and functional-trait effects on fine root biomass along a subtropical tree diversity gradient

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Abstract

Aims

There is evidence that different facets of biodiversity such as species richness (SR), phylogenetic diversity (PD) and functional diversity (FD) can modulate ecosystem functioning via niche-complementarity or mass-ratio effects, but the support for these hypotheses on fine root biomass remains unclear.

Methods

In a tree diversity gradient in subtropical forests (ranging from 2 to 10 tree species), we identified the species identity of fine roots (≤ 2 mm in diameter) using a molecular method. This allowed computation of PD as well as trait-based FD and community-weighted means (CWM) metrics, which were then tested as predictors of fine root biomass.

Results

Three metrics (SR, CWM of specific root length and PD) were positively related to root biomass. SR was the best predictor of fine root biomass and its predicting ability depended on stand density. The predicting power of CWM of specific root length varied with the soil nutrient status.

Conclusions

Overall, the results supported both tested hypotheses (mass-ratio and niche-complementarity) that seem to be non-mutually exclusive. Furthermore, our findings emphasize that stand density and soil nutrient status are the important variables driving fine root biomass and trait-values.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31870431 and 31570447) and the Huitong Forest Ecological Station funded by the State Forestry and Grassland Administration of China. Weixian Zeng would like to thank the China Scholarship Council (CSC) for the support to his joint Ph.D. program grant (201808430207) and the opportunity to work at the Centre for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology of Montpellier, France.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, No. 498 Southern Shaoshan Road, Changsha, 410004, Hunan Province, China

    Weixian Zeng, Wenhua Xiang, Bo Zhou, Shuai Ouyang, Yelin Zeng, Liang Chen & Pifeng Lei

  2. Huitong National Station for Scientific Observation and Research of Chinese Fir Plantation Ecosystem in Hunan Province, Huitong, 438107, China

    Weixian Zeng, Wenhua Xiang, Shuai Ouyang, Yelin Zeng, Liang Chen & Pifeng Lei

  3. CNRS, Ecotron (UPS-3248), Campus Baillarguet, F-34980, Montferrier-sur-Lez, France

    Weixian Zeng & Alexandru Milcu

  4. Tibet Agriculture & Animal Husbandry University, Nyingchi, 860000, Tibet, China

    Jiangping Fang

  5. Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, CEFE-CNRS, UMR 5175, Université de Montpellier, Université Paul Valéry, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier Cedex 5, France

    Alexandru Milcu

  6. International Center of Tropical Botany, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA

    Oscar J. Valverde-Barrantes

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  1. Weixian Zeng
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  2. Wenhua Xiang
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  3. Jiangping Fang
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  4. Bo Zhou
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  5. Shuai Ouyang
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  6. Yelin Zeng
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  7. Liang Chen
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  8. Pifeng Lei
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  9. Alexandru Milcu
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  10. Oscar J. Valverde-Barrantes
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WX, AM and OJV conceived the idea and WX designed the research; Data collection and analyses were performed by WZ, BZ and WX; Statistical analyses were performed by WZ with input from AM, BZ, SO, LC, WX. The manuscript was written by WZ, WX and AM, with input from JF, BZ, YZ, PL and OJV.

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Correspondence to Wenhua Xiang.

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Zeng, W., Xiang, W., Fang, J. et al. Species richness and functional-trait effects on fine root biomass along a subtropical tree diversity gradient. Plant Soil 446, 515–527 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-04369-3

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