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1.  The replacement of native habitats by monocultures has led to the loss of insect biodiversity, including beetles.2.  In an attempt to minimize this loss, Brazilian legislation requires farmers to conserve a proportion of farmland as a Legal Reserve.3.  In this study, we investigated the decay of similarity in beetle communities of soybean monocultures compared to Legal Reserves.4.  To do this, we studied 77 sample points distributed across the transition zone between the Amazon and Cerrado biomes, with a maximum distance of 625 km between the farthest points.5.  Our results show that the transformation of forest areas into monocultures causes a drastic decrease in beta diversity for both herbivores and predators.6.  This pattern is not observed in Legal Reserves, where the communities are, for the most part, different in a short geographic space.7.  We noted an increase in beta diversity between sites at a shorter distance (200 km) compared with soybean monoculture areas (350 km).8.  In these environments, many species are generalist pests that benefit from the simplified landscape.9.  To verify the relationship between species dissimilarity and geographic distances, we used the Chord‐Normalized Expected Species Shared dissimilarity index, replacing Bray–Curtis due to its robustness in dealing with small samples or subsampling.10. We reinforce the importance of Legal Reserves in conserving beetle biodiversity, emphasizing the need for preserved areas distributed throughout the landscape as they play a crucial role in maintaining beta diversity and preserving ecosystem services in anthropized landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large tropical trees are rightly perceived as supporting a plethora of organisms. However, baseline data about the variety of taxa coexisting on single large tropical trees are lacking and prevent a full understanding of both the magnitude of biodiversity and the complexity of interactions among organisms in tropical rainforests. The two main aims of the research program "Life on Trees" (LOT) are (1) to establish baseline knowledge on the number of eukaryote species supported/hosted by the above-ground part of a single tropical tree and (2) to understand how these communities of organisms are assembled and distributed on or inside the tree. To achieve the first goal, we integrated a set of 36 methods for comprehensively sampling eukaryotes (plants, fungi, animals, protists) present on a tropical tree. The resulting LOT protocol was conceived and implemented during projects in the Andean Amazon region and is proposed here as a guideline for future projects of a similar nature. To address the second objective, we evaluated the microclimatic differences between tree zones and tested state-of-the-art terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and positioning technologies incorporating satellite and fixed base station signals (dGNSS). A marked variation in temperature and relative humidity was detected along a 6-zones Johansson scheme, a tree structure subdivision system commonly used to study the stratification of epiphytic plants. Samples were collected from these six zones, including three along the trunk and three in the canopy. To better understand how different tree components (e.g., bark, leaves, fruits, flowers, dead wood) contribute to overall tree biodiversity, we categorized observations into communities based on Johansson zones and microhabitats. TLS was an essential aid in understanding the complex tree architecture. By contrast, the accuracy of positioning samples in the tree with dGNSS was low. Comprehensively sampling the biota of individual trees offers an alternative to assessing the biodiversity of fewer groups of organisms at the forest scale. Large old tropical trees provide a wealth of microhabitats that encompass a wide range of ecological conditions, thereby capturing a broad spectrum of biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ancient kauri (Agathis australis) dominated forests of Aotearoa New Zealand are under threat from a multitude of ecological disturbances such as forest fragmentation, biodiversity loss, climate change, and the spread of the virulent soil pathogen Phytophthora agathidicida. Taking a wider ecosystem-level approach, our research aimed to explore the impacts of forest disturbance and disease outbreaks on the biosynthetic potential and taxonomic diversity of the kauri soil microbiome. We explored the diversity of secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in soils from a range of kauri forests that varied according to historical disturbance and dieback expression. To characterise the diversity of microbial BGCs, we targeted the non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) and polyketide synthetase (PKS) gene regions for sequencing using long-read PacBio® HiFi sequencing. Furthermore, the soil bacterial and fungal communities of each forest were characterized using 16 S rRNA and ITS gene region sequencing. Results: We identified a diverse array of naturally occurring microbial BGCs in the kauri forest soils, which may offer promising targets for the exploration of secondary metabolites with anti-microbial activity against P. agathidicida. We detected differences in the number and diversity of microbial BGCs according to forest disturbance history. Notably, soils associated with the most undisturbed kauri forest had a higher number and diversity of microbial NRPS-type BGCs, which may serve as a potential indicator of natural levels of microbiome resistance to pathogen invasion. Conclusions: By linking patterns in microbial biosynthetic diversity to forest disturbance history, this research highlights the need for us to consider the influence of ecological disturbances in potentially predisposing forests to disease by impacting the wider health of forest soil ecosystems. Furthermore, by identifying the range of microbial BGCs present at a naturally high abundance in kauri soils, this research contributes to the future discovery of natural microbial compounds that may potentially enhance the disease resilience of kauri forests. The methodological approaches used in this study highlight the value of moving beyond a taxonomic lens when examining the response of microbial communities to ecosystem disturbance and the need to develop more functional measures of microbial community resilience to invasive plant pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Location Taxon Methods Results Main Conclusions We address the relative importance of biogeographic regions (areas of endemism), regional climate and spatial factors on taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic beta diversity of bird assemblages in upland terra‐firme forests in the Amazon.Amazon biome.Birds.We gathered 27,498 occurrence records of 873 bird species for 115 bird assemblages distributed in all nine biogeographic regions delimited by the major Amazonian rivers. Only data from studies surveying whole communities with standard sampling methods and exhaustive sampling effort were included. We partitioned the fractions of taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic beta diversity explained by climate, biogeographic regions, spatial factors and the variation shared between them.Across the entire Amazon, we found higher total taxonomic (0.68 ± 0.10) than phylogenetic (0.46 ± 0.08) β‐diversity, and low functional β‐diversity (0.34 ± 0.08). Biogeographic regions showed the highest unique contributions explaining taxonomic and phylogenetic β‐total (7% and 5%, respectively) and turnover components (7% of β‐jtu taxonomic, 7% of β‐jtu phylogenetic), but accounted for only 2% of total functional β‐diversity and trait turnover. Climatic variables explained slightly more trait nestedness (5%) compared with species and lineage turnover (3% each). Species composition was clearly distinct between biogeographical regions limited by the Amazon River, but support for the effect of other rivers was mixed.Our study highlights the significant influence of biogeographic regions and climate on species composition in the Amazon. However, our findings also suggest that the Amazon River exerts a more pronounced impact on species distribution compared with other major Amazonian rivers. Species turnover across biogeographical regions is particularly evident at the species level, with minor effects observed in functional traits, suggesting that taxonomic turnover is driven mainly by functionally redundant species. In addition, recent diversification events, occurring predominantly at the tips of the phylogeny without substantial turnover at deeper nodes, are likely responsible for the patchy distribution of species across Amazonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achelura yunnanensis is a destructive pest of forests, causing substantial damage on tree growth and severe economic losses. Additionally, as a daytime-active moth, this species also holds important scientific value for investigating the genetic mechanisms governing day-night activity patterns of Lepidoptera. To facilitate effective pest control and deepen our understanding of the diurnal behavior's genetic basis of moths, genomic data for this species are crucial. In this study, we present a chromosome-level reference genome of A. yunnanensis (368.15 Mb in 32 chromosomes; scaffold N50 = 12.61 Mb; BUSCO completeness = 98.0%). Genome annotation shows that the new assembly comprises 37.10% (136.55 Mb) repetitive elements, 1,828 non-coding RNAs, and 15,523 protein-coding genes. Genes involved in lipid metabolism and xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism, such as cytochrome P450 families, experienced significant expansion in the A. yunnanensis genome. The chromosome-level genome of A. yunnanensis provides a valuable genomic resource for devising novel pest control strategies, and will also help to study the genetic mechanism of the shift of diurnal behavior in Lepidoptera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise Methods Results Conclusions Understanding the responses of functional traits in tree species to climate variability is essential for predicting the future of tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF) tree species, especially in Andean montane environments where fog pockets act as moisture traps.We studied the distribution of Magnolia gentryi, measured its spatial arrangement, identified local hotspots, and evaluated the extent to which climate‐related factors are associated with its distribution. We then analyzed the variation in 13 functional traits of M. gentryi and the relationship with climate.Andean TMCF climatic factors constrain M. gentryi spatial distribution with significant patches or gaps that are associated with high precipitation and mean minimum temperature. The functional traits of M. gentryi are limited by the Andean TMCF climatic factors, resulting in reduced within‐species variation in traits associated with water deficit.The association between functional traits and climate oscillation is crucial for understanding the growth conditions of relict‐endemic species and is essential for conservation efforts. Forest trait diversity and species composition change because of fluctuations in hydraulic safety‐efficiency gradients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the Ecuadorian Amazon, a crucial region for forest biodiversity and conservation of native species, which faces challenges due to timber extraction. The research objective was to characterize timber harvesting during 2012 to 2021, focusing on the ten most harvested forest species in terms of volume and provincial distribution, as well as their conservation status according to the IUCN. For the methodology, data were extracted and analyzed from Ecuador's Forest Management System (SAF), focusing on timber extraction in six provinces and assessing 210 species. The results revealed that, from 2,627,659.17 m3 authorized, 2,296,238.08 m3 were harvested, representing 54.17% of the national timber harvest from native forests. Species of the Fabaceae family predominated in number and volume, with yields varying from 0.5 m3/ha in Orellana to 2.8 m3/ha in Zamora Chinchipe. Analysis of the IUCN categories showed that 67.6% (142 species) are Least Concern (LC), while 3.3% (7 species) are Vulnerable (VU), and 1% (2 species) Endangered (EN). Two species were listed as Data Deficient (DD), one as Critically Endangered (CR) and one as Near Threatened (NT). It is crucial to note that, of the 210 species analyzed, 55 species (26.2%) are not included in the IUCN database, highlighting the importance of more detailed assessments for their conservation and distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing forests to sustain their diversity and functioning is a major challenge in a changing world. Despite the key role of understory vegetation in driving forest biodiversity, regeneration and functioning, few studies address the functional dimensions of understory vegetation response to silvicultural management. We assessed the influence of the silvicultural regimes on the functional diversity and redundancy of European forest understory. We gathered vascular plant abundance data from more than 2000 plots in European forests, each associated with one out of the five most widespread silvicultural regimes. We used generalized linear mixed models to assess the effect of different silvicultural regimes on understory functional diversity (Rao's quadratic entropy) and functional redundancy, while accounting for climate and soil conditions, and explored the reciprocal relationship between three diversity components (functional diversity, redundancy and dominance) across silvicultural regimes through a ternary diversity diagram. Intensive silvicultural regimes are associated with a decrease in functional diversity and an increase in functional redundancy, compared with unmanaged conditions. This means that although intensive management may buffer communities' functions against species or functional losses, it also limits the range of understory response to environmental changes. Policy implications. Different silvicultural regimes influence different facets of understory functional features. While unmanaged forests can be used as a reference to design silvicultural practices in compliance with biodiversity conservation targets, different silvicultural options should be balanced at landscape scale to sustain the multiple forest functions that human societies are increasingly demanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree species diversity in forest ecosystems could reduce their vulnerability to extreme droughts through improved microclimate and below‐ground water source partitioning driven by contrasting species‐specific water use patterns. However, little is known about the seasonal dynamics of belowground water uptake that determine whether diversity positively or negatively impacts tree carbon assimilation and water exchange.Using a network of 30 permanent plots in Mediterranean forests with increasing tree species diversity (from monospecific to four‐species mixtures), we examined the seasonal patterns of in‐situ aboveground carbon and water relations and belowground water sources on 265 trees from four pine and oak species over 2 years using hydraulic and stable isotope approaches.We found that increasing species diversity in broadleaf and conifer mixtures induced strong soil water source partitioning between oak and pine species. As conditions became drier during the summer in mixed stands, oak species took up water from deeper soil sources, while pines were systematically limited to shallow ones. Despite significant belowground moisture partitioning, stronger drought‐induced reductions in photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, and leaf water potential were still observed in diverse compared with monospecific stands for pines but with some benefits for oaks.Synthesis: Our findings reveal that tree species diversity promoted belowground water source partitioning in mixed oak and pine stands, potentially reducing competition for water in more diverse ecosystems. Yet, our results show that it is insufficient to buffer the adverse impacts of severe droughts on aboveground tree carbon and water use, leading to higher water stress, especially for pines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonal foliage display (leaf phenology) is a key determinant of ecosystem function. Variation in land surface phenology, observed via space‐borne remote sensing, can be explained at broad spatial scales by climate, but we lack understanding of how vegetation structure and floristic diversity mediates these relationships. This lack of understanding hampers our ability to predict changes in phenology and therefore ecosystem function, in light of rapid ongoing shifts in biodiversity and ecosystem structure due to land use and climate change.We combined a network of 619 vegetation monitoring sites across seasonally dry tropical deciduous woodlands in Zambia with land surface phenology metrics to investigate the role of tree species diversity, composition and vegetation structure on patterns of land surface phenology, including the phenomenon of pre‐rain green‐up.Tree species diversity was associated with earlier pre‐rain green‐up, a longer growing season, and greater cumulative foliage production. Independent of diversity, proportional abundance of Detarioideae species (subfamily of Fabaceae) was associated with a longer growing season by facilitating earlier pre‐rain green‐up. Woodland stands with larger trees green up earlier, suggesting access to deep groundwater reserves. Senescence metrics showed variation among sites but were not well‐explained by precipitation, temperature, structure or diversity.Synthesis: Tree diversity, composition and structure are co‐determinants of seasonal patterns of foliage display in seasonally dry tropical deciduous woodlands, as measured via land surface phenology, at regional scale. Our study identifies both a niche complementarity effect whereby diverse woodlands exhibit longer growing seasons, as well as a mass‐ratio effect whereby detarioid species drive earlier pre‐rain green‐up, providing insights into the mechanisms underlying the biodiversity ecosystem function relationship in this biome. We stress the importance of considering biotic controls on ecosystem functioning in the next generation of earth‐system models predicting the response of communities to global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Biodiversity across different scales provides multidimensional insurance for ecosystem functioning. Although the effects of biodiversity on ecosystem multifunctionality are well recorded in local communities, they remain poorly understood across scales (from local to larger spatial scales). This study evaluates how multiple attributes of biodiversity maintain ecosystem multifunctionality from local to regional scales, across diverse environmental gradients. Location: North‐eastern China. Time Period: 2017. Major Taxa Studied: Woody plants. Methods: We define multifunctionality using both averaged and modified multiple‐threshold approaches. Multiple dimensions of biodiversity across varying spatial scales were measured within the framework of Hill–Chao numbers. Using variance decomposition, linear mixed models and structural equation modelling, we explored how multiple attributes of tree diversity at varying spatial scales affect multifunctionality, and how these relationships are modulated by environmental drivers. Results: We found that both α‐ and β‐diversity are critical for regional community multifunctionality, while the relationships between species, functional and phylogenetic diversity and multifunctionality decoupled across spatial scales and thresholds of ecosystem functioning. Phylogenetic β‐diversity and species α‐diversity are, respectively, more important for promoting high‐ and moderate‐threshold multifunctionality (e.g. EMFT90 and EMFT50) in regional communities. Environmental drivers typically have stronger effects than biodiversity on multifunctionality. Soil and climatic conditions had either direct effects on multifunctionality or indirect ones mediated by species α‐diversity. Environmental heterogeneity is important for high‐threshold multifunctionality, exerting directly and indirectly through phylogenetic β‐diversity. Latitude not only directly influences multifunctionality but also modulates it through species α‐diversity and phylogenetic β‐diversity. Main Conclusions: This study underscores the positive effects of biodiversity on multifunctionality across multiple dimensions. Based on our findings, we conclude that any design of a forested landscape that is aimed at maximizing multifunctionality should consider maintaining high local diversity as well as forest community heterogeneity at varying scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing deforestation of tropical forests requires the implementation of restoration actions capable of assisting the recovery of biodiversity and the functioning of these ecosystems. This research aimed to identify the environmental factors that influence the abundance and diversity of woody plant recruitment in an Andean forest restoration project in Medellin (Colombia). Data from woody plant individuals taller than 80 cm were collected in 22 plots of 200·m−2. The environmental factors selected were edaphic variables, plantation structure, slope, elevation, prior land use, and landscape forest cover. Generalized linear models (GLM) were used to analyze recruitment densit and Linear Mixed Models (LMM) to assess recruited species richness, diversity, and dominance. Woody plant recruitment attributes in our study area were similar to those of secondary succession in an Andean forest, but planted trees contributed little to recruitment density and diversity. While recruitment density was affected by slope, canopy closure, and landscape forest cover, recruitment diversity was influenced by physical (bulk density) and chemical (pH, aluminum, Cation Exchange Capacity) edaphic factors, planted tree diversity (species richness and composition), canopy closure, and the mortality rate of planted trees. We conclude that sites with lower mortality rates of planted trees and denser canopies enhance both recruitment density and diversity, indicating a synergy between active restoration and passive regeneration processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding mechanisms stabilizing ecosystem functions, such as primary production, is crucial for forecasting global environmental responses. While biological diversity is expected to enhance stability through compensatory reactions to environmental changes, empirical evidence is lacking, especially in old‐growth forests vital for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. Moreover, whether increased niche complementarity and stronger intraspecific than interspecific competition are key mechanisms promoting compensatory dynamics and stabilizing ecosystem functions in diverse forests remains unexplored. This study investigates productivity and stability in temperate old‐growth forests over 20 years at community and individual levels. Analysing 4380 trees in a 4‐ha plot in northern Japan with over 35 tree species, structural equation models evaluated the effects of biodiversity and average asynchrony in species fluctuations (compensatory dynamics) on productivity stability across 100 m2 grid quadrats. Functional traits and taxonomic diversity represented species complementarity and the insurance effect. Temporal growth correlations between conspecific and heterospecific neighbours and neighbourhood effects on growth performance indicated intra‐ and interspecific interactions at the individual level. Communities with greater stability exhibited higher diversity and asynchronous species fluctuations, suggesting that compensatory dynamics buffer community productivity against environmental variability. The inverse relationship between tree size variation and stability indicates that communities with less pronounced size and abundance hierarchies have more efficient compensatory mechanisms, ensuring stable forest functioning. The absence of negative temporal correlations in biomass production among heterospecific neighbours suggests the limited significance of interspecific competition in compensatory dynamics. Conversely, positive correlations among conspecific neighbours and their suppressed growth in dense conspecific patches highlight the importance of conspecific negative density‐dependent mechanisms in sustaining tree species diversity and ensuring stable productivity. Synthesis: The study underscores the critical role of tree species richness in stabilizing ecosystem functioning via asynchronous growth in one of the world's most diverse temperate forests. Stronger intraspecific than interspecific competition helps prevent single‐species dominance, maintaining diversity and productivity stability. Despite occasional destabilization from size‐asymmetric interspecific competition, species‐trait complementarity enhances stability by promoting overall biomass production. This study highlights the importance of overall diversity for the stability of forest productivity, with implications for nature conservation and ecosystem functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vulnerability of trees to insect herbivory can be influenced by forest structure and diversity. Associational resistance theory posits that trees surrounded by diverse neighbours are likely to suffer reduced herbivory. However, the underlying mechanisms of this effect are debated, with accumulating evidence suggesting that leaf traits could mediate the strength and direction of the diversity‐herbivory relationships. To determine the role of tree trait variation in mediating this relationship, we measured leaf herbivory and nine morphological and nutritional leaf traits known to influence herbivory on 394 focal trees of twelve species cultivated in monocultures and mixtures of four, eight, and sixteen species in a 4‐year‐old large‐scale manipulated tree diversity experiment. A reduction in the proportion of focal trees in species‐rich neighbourhoods resulted in increased leaf carbon: nitrogen ratio of focal trees, which mediated a reduction in insect herbivory. Moreover, an increase in plant height apparency, defined as the disparity in total height between a focal tree and its closest neighbours, indirectly amplified herbivory by reducing leaf phosphorus concentration. Synthesis: The study suggests that neighbourhood diversity and physical structure can indirectly affect herbivory on a focal plant by modifying its leaf trait. Accounting for the functional differences between forests could enhance our understanding of diversity–herbivory relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise Methods Results Conclusions The Cenozoic Macquarie Harbour Formation (MHF) hosts one of the oldest and southernmost post‐Cretaceous fossil plant assemblages in Australia. Coinciding with the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO) and predating the breakup of Australia from Antarctica, it offers critical data to study the diversity and extent of the Austral Polar Forest Biome, and the floristic divergence between Australasia and South America resulting from the Gondwana breakup.The micromorphology and macromorphology of new fossil plant compressions from the MHF were described and systematically analyzed. Previously published non‐flowering plant records were reviewed and revised. Macrofossil abundance data were provided. The flora was compared with other early Paleogene assemblages from across the Southern Hemisphere.Twelve species of non‐flowering plants were identified from the macrofossil record. Conifers include Araucariaceae (Araucaria macrophylla, A. readiae, A. timkarikensis sp. nov., and Araucarioides linearis), Podocarpaceae (Acmopyle glabra, Dacrycarpus mucronatus, Podocarpus paralungatikensis sp. nov., and Retrophyllum sp.), and Cupressaceae (Libocedrus microformis). Dacrycarpus linifolius was designated a junior synonym of D. mucronatus. Further components include a cycad (Bowenia johnsonii, Zamiaceae), a pteridosperm (Komlopteris cenozoicus, Umkomasiaceae), and a fern (Lygodium dinmorphyllum, Schizaeaceae).The fossil assemblage represents a mixed near‐polar forest with a high diversity of conifers. The morphology and preservation of several species indicate adaptations to life at high latitudes. The coexistence of large‐ and small‐leaved conifers implies complex, possibly open forest structures. Comparisons with contemporaneous assemblages from Argentina support a circumpolar biome during the EECO, reaching from southern Australia across Antarctica to southern South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potential biodiversity maps (PBMs) allow the identification of areas with different potential for conservation, to support political decisions about the management and protection of biodiversity. As these maps are seldom constructed for inconspicuous species, we proposed to develop PBMs for species belonging to the Geadephaga (Coleoptera), which is a group of beetles that contributes as predators for pest suppression and other ecosystem services in forest ecosystems. Given that human activities are reducing forest integrity, we consider that it is crucial to recognize how diversity patterns of Geadephaga are related to degraded forests. We developed these maps for the Geadephaga associated with subantarctic forests considering diversity measures of species richness, specificity, and rarity to establish spatial relationships between each diversity measure and different levels of forest integrity, and to identify potential hotspots and suggest conservation priorities. Results showed a latitudinal pattern of decrease in scores on richness and specificity from north to south, but a patchy pattern of species rarity across the region. Outcomes also show that areas with high scores of diversity measures are overlapped with degraded forest, and that hotspots have a low spatial overlap between them. In this work, we provide for the first time regional PBMs at a relatively high spatial resolution of three different diversity measures for Geadephaga that inhabit subantarctic forest. These maps constitute tools that allow not only to recognize potential diversity patterns of these insects, but also to offer valuable information to be used in conservation decision‐making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature-based solutions are increasingly advocated to mitigate climate change and biodiversity loss, while improving ecosystem resilience and providing additional ecosystem services. In Scotland, woodland expansion and restoration of degraded peatlands are expected to play a major role in meeting net-zero emissions by 2045 and have prompted debates about the impact of increased woodland cover and prescribed fire on the biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by upland landscapes. In alignment with national policy, the Cairngorms National Park, the UK's largest national park, has committed to an ambitious programme of woodland expansion and peatland restoration in a landscape dominated by heather moorlands that is predominantly managed through prescribed burning for game management. Using the Native Woodland Model and the InVest modelling platform, we assessed the effects of five land cover and land use change scenarios, with different levels of prescribed fire regulation and woodland expansion, to evaluate their benefits and costs on biodiversity and carbon sequestration. Results show that changing the extent and management of habitats will result in different carbon sequestration pathways, as well as biodiversity winners and losers. The scenario presenting greater benefits for the conservation of biodiversity also has lower above-ground carbon sequestration potential and a larger negative impact on red grouse habitats, thus being less profitable to sporting estates. Hence, trade-offs will be necessary to achieve optimal carbon sequestration and biodiversity gains, with a potential role played by the continuation of prescribed fires and traditional moorland management practices as well as complementary grants and support measures based on biodiversity benefits rather than carbon sequestration. The results from this study could support discussions regarding future management of the uplands, trade-offs between loss of carbon in soils, carbon sequestration in woodlands and conservation of biodiversity, as well as stakeholders likely to be affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kunming‐Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework lays out an ambitious set of goals and targets aimed at halting and reversing biodiversity loss. The extent of natural ecosystems has been selected as one of a small set of headline indicators against which countries will report progress under this framework. We evaluate the effectiveness with which this indicator is expected to capture the overall scope of the ecosystem‐focused component of Goal A, and interlinkages with the species‐focused component of this same goal, using extensive global data on the integrity, connectivity, and plant species composition of forests. Results generated for all forest‐supporting countries demonstrate that consideration of these additional factors can profoundly alter understanding of the state of forest biodiversity relative to that based on extent alone. Employment of ecosystem extent as a headline indicator must therefore be augmented by appropriate use of component and complementary indicators addressing other key dimensions of ecosystem change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Location Methods Results Main Conclusions Primary forests provide critical habitat and diverse ecological niches for bird species, which are being seriously threatened by massive anthropogenic activities in the Anthropocene. Conversion from primary forests to secondary forests and plantation forests results in biodiversity loss, reducing ecosystem functioning and services. However, few studies have evaluated bird diversity patterns in different forest types caused by anthropogenic activities at both pantropics and regional scales, especially from taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional perspective simultaneously, as well as from the perspective of both alpha and beta diversity.Pantropics.We analysed patterns of bird diversity in primary forests, secondary forests and plantation forests at pantropics and regional scales. Number of threatened species, rare species, and generalist species in the three forest types were summarized. Taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity, as well as phylogenetic and functional structure of bird communities among the three forest types, were evaluated through multiple comparisons. Beta diversity of bird communities in the three forest types was also calculated and decomposed into turnover and nestedness‐resultant components, and correlations between environmental factors and beta diversity were examined.The results showed that primary forests harboured more threatened species, more large species and specialist species than secondary forests and plantation forests. In addition, plantation forests had lower phylogenetic alpha diversity but higher functional alpha diversity, and had more clustered phylogenetic structure but more over‐dispersed functional structure. Notably, taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional beta diversity of bird communities was significantly higher in primary forests than in plantation forests, and turnover components showed similar patterns and accounted for major parts of overall beta diversity.These findings suggest that primary forests play an important role in protecting bird taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity, and emphasize that future conservation efforts should focus on the strict protection of primary forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Highlight discussing: Runnel, K., Lõhmus, P., Küngas, K., Marmor‐Ohtla, L., Palo, A., Pütsepp, G., Tamm, H., Tammekänd, I., & Lõhmus, A. (2024). Aerial eDNA contributes vital information for fungal biodiversity assessment. Journal of Applied Ecology, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365‐2664.14691. Fungi play key roles in ecosystems, yet it is not clear how best to capture their diversity or monitor their presence, especially for those species of particular conservation concern. In this issue of the Journal of Applied Ecology Runnel et al. address this problem by comparing different methodologies to estimate the diversity of lichen‐forming fungi and wood‐inhabiting basidiomycetes at a forest stand scale. Pairing aerial eDNA sampling with visual observation‐based surveys better captured the full spectrum of fungal diversity, including cryptic species and those of particular conservation interest. Certain fungal groups that are underrepresented in air samples might be better captured by sampling eDNA directly from wood or soil, but visual surveys should be considered as a more cost‐effective complementary method at least at a local scale. Their results highlight the importance of using multiple methods simultaneously in biodiversity assessments and the need for standardized methods to study and monitor fungal diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Mycorrhizal symbiosis, seed dispersal, and pollination are recognized as the most prominent mutualistic interactions in terrestrial ecosystems. However, it remains unclear how these symbiotic relationships have interacted to contribute to current plant diversity.We analyzed evolutionary relationships among mycorrhizal type, seed dispersal mode, and pollination mode in two global databases of 699 (database I) and 10 475 (database II) tree species. Although database II had been estimated from phylogenetic patterns and therefore had lower certainty of the mycorrhizal type than database I, whose mycorrhizal type was determined by direct observation, database II allowed analysis of many more taxa from more regions than database I.We found evidence of joint evolution of all three features in both databases. This result is robust to the effects of both sampling bias and missing taxa. Most arbuscular mycorrhizal‐associated trees had endozoochorous (biotic) seed dispersal and biotic pollination, with long dispersal distances, whereas most ectomycorrhizal‐associated trees had anemochorous (abiotic) seed dispersal and wind (abiotic) pollination mode, with shorter dispersal distances.These results provide a novel scenario in mutualistic interactions, seed dispersal, pollination, and mycorrhizal symbiosis types, which have jointly evolved and shaped current tree diversity and forest ecosystem world‐wide. See also the Commentary on this article by Sinnott‐Armstrong, 243: 1290–1292. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate large-scale classification of tree species is crucial for the monitoring, protection, and management of the Earth's invaluable forest ecosystems. Numerous previous studies have recognized the suitability of satellite imagery, particularly Sentinel-2 imagery, for this task. In this study, we utilized a dense phenology Sentinel-2 time series, which offered consistent data across multiple granules, to map tree species across the entire forested area in Austria. Aiming for the classification scheme to more accurately represent actual forest conditions, we included mixed tree species and sparsely populated classes (classes with sparse canopy cover) alongside pure tree species classes. To enhance the training data for the mixed and sparse classes, synthetic data creation was employed. Autocorrelation has significant implications for the validation of thematic maps. To investigate the impact of spatial dependency on validation data, two methods were employed at numerous split and buffer distances: spatial split validation and a validation method based on a buffered ground reference probability samples provided by the National Forest inventory (NFI). While a random training data holdout set yielded 99% accuracy, the spatial split validation resulted in 74% accuracy, emphasizing the importance of accounting for spatial autocorrelation when validating with holdout sets derived from polygon-based training data. The validation based on NFI data resulted in 55% overall accuracy, 91% post-hoc pure class accuracy, and 79% accuracy when confusions in phenological proximity were disregarded (e.g., spruce–larch confused with spruce). The significant differences in accuracy observed between spatial split and NFI validation underscore the challenge for polygon-based training data to capture ground reference forest complexity, particularly in areas with diverse forests. This hardship is further accentuated by the pure class accuracy of 91%, revealing the substantial impact of mixed stands on the accuracy of tree species maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the relationship between landscape features and avian diversity in South Korea, examining both taxonomic and functional diversity. The Korean Peninsula serves as a pivotal habitat for resident bird species and a migratory pathway in the East Asia-Pacific flyway. Using a national dataset with block sizes ranging from 3.5 to 4.5 kilometers per side, we found that less urbanized open plains exhibit higher taxonomic diversity, while coastal regions with diverse water bird populations show higher functional diversity. These findings underscore the significance of conserving the existing land types and qualities in specific regions to substantially impact bird distribution and regional biodiversity. Remarkably, closed forests display diversity patterns akin to urban/built-up areas, despite their disparate land use characteristics. The stability of bird diversity indices across different land use types enables us to predict bird diversity indices based on the particular land use and land cover configurations. This study emphasizes the complementary nature of functional biodiversity indices in comprehending bird distribution patterns alongside taxonomic diversity indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Forestry and land-use change are leading causes of habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation worldwide. The boreal forest biome is no exception, and only a small proportion of this forest type remains intact. Since forestry will remain a major land-use in this region, measures must be taken to ensure forest dependent biodiversity. Stand level features and structures promoting conservation relevant species have received much attention, but the landscape level perspective is often missing. Hence, we review the literature that has related fragmentation in the surrounding landscape to occurrence of threatened, declining, red-listed, rare, or deadwood dependent species as well as those considered to be indicator, flagship, umbrella, and/or keystone species in a given boreal forest stand. Methods: A comprehensive search string was developed, benchmarked, and adapted for four bibliographic databases, two search engines, and 37 specialist websites. The online evidence synthesis tool Cadima was used for screening of both abstracts and full texts. All articles meeting the inclusion criteria were subject to study validity assessment and included in a narrative table. Studies reporting means and variance were included in quantitative meta-analysis when more than 3 comparable studies were available. Results: The searches resulted in 20 890 unique articles that were reduced to 172 studies from 153 articles. These studies related stand level presence, abundance, species richness, and/or composition of conservation relevant species to landscape factors such as: categorical fragmentation intensity (higher vs. lower), amount of habitat or non-habitat, distance to habitat, and/or habitat configuration, on scales ranging from tens to tens of thousands of ha. Forty-three studies were suitable for meta-analysis. These showed a significant negative effect of fragmentation on both presence and abundance of conservation relevant species, as well as a near significant trend for species richness. This was particularly clear when fragmentation was measured as distance to surrounding habitat for presence, and as habitat amount for abundance. The organism groups with the strongest support for a negative effect of fragmentation were wood fungi and birds. Conclusion: As hypothesised, there is strong support for negative effects of fragmentation in boreal forest. These results emphasize the negative consequences of the intensive forestry and associated landscape transformation that has been the norm for the last century. We argue that this should have direct implications for policy makers to shift towards including a landscape perspective in all planning of harvesting, preserving, and restoring forest. In addition, we found that research effort has been very uneven between organism groups, that studies on landscape change over time were rare, and that many studies have not quantified the difference in fragmentation intensity among landscapes making it difficult to quantify the extent of the negative effect. One way forward would be to revisit the studies included here in to incorporate change over time, as well as a true quantification of landscape fragmentation. By doing so, the scale of the negative effects would be much better analysed, which would greatly assist conservation practitioners all throughout the boreal forest biome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous food sovereignty (IFS) is pivotal in enhancing food security and nutritional well-being and preserving governance systems and cultural practices within indigenous communities. Despite its significance, the literature on food sovereignty practices within Indian tribal communities and strategies for bolstering them remains limited. The present study draws upon primary data collected from 97 households in Manipur, Northeast India to address this gap. This study employs a mixedmethods research approach and systematically investigates the intricate dynamics of shifting cultivation (SC), agrobiodiversity and their collective contributions to IFS. Empirical findings underscore that SC provides culturally relevant food resources, thereby amplifying dietary diversity and contributing significantly to IFS. The indigenous SC system in the present study site encompasses 32 crop species and 4 local livestock breeds, featuring numerous landraces that ensure nutritional security and preserve food culture. Integrating wild edible plants from forests and fallow lands supplements the traditional food basket, reinforcing indigenous food culture and promoting biodiversity conservation. This study emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between SC-based agrobiodiversity and dietary diversity and highlights their critical role in fortifying IFS resilience, particularly in the context of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decrease in species richness toward higher latitudes is an expected biogeographical pattern. This pattern could be related to particular environmental constraints and the evolutionary history of clades. However, species richness does not fully represent the evolutionary history of the clades behind their distributions. Phylogenetic diversity better clarifies the role of historical factors in biogeographical patterns. We analyzed environmental and historical drivers related to latitudinal variation in species richness and phylogenetic diversity of Atlantic Forest endemic snakes. We implemented species distribution models, from voucher-based locality points, to map the snake ranges and diversity. We used generalized additive mixed models to evaluate the relationships among the diversity metrics and area, topographical roughness, and past climate change velocity since the Last Maximum Glacial in the Atlantic Forest latitudinal gradient. Contrary to the expected general pattern, species richness was higher toward higher latitudes, being positively related to past climatic stability. Species richness also increased with total area and higher topographical roughness. Phylogenetic diversity, on the other hand, showed opposite relationships related to the same factors. Phylogenetic diversity increased with lower climatic stability in lower latitudes. Thus, dimensions of diversity were affected in different ways by historical and environmental constraints in this unique and threatened biodiversity hotspot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree-related microhabitats (TreMs) have been promoted as indicators of forest biodiversity and to guide conservation practices. Ensuring the provision of diverse TreMs in the long term is crucial for the survival of many forest-dwelling species. Yet, this task is challenging in the absence of information regarding TreM dynamics. We analysed the temporal development of TreMs on 11,569 living trees in temperate European forests. To identify drivers of change in TreM abundance and richness over a period of 3–12 years, we estimated the rates of TreM persistence and loss events at the tree-level using survival analysis methods: persistence was characterised by consistency and increment events (when TreM numbers were maintained or increased) and loss was defined as a reduction in TreM numbers or their disappearance. Stratified Cox proportional hazards models were fitted for different TreM groups. Our study revealed a highly dynamic TreM development on living habitat trees, particularly on large trees. While specific TreMs are prone to disappearing, irrespective of tree species or TreM groups, total TreM richness persists over a 12-year period. TreMs such as crown deadwood, epiphytes or woodpecker cavities are prone to decrease in the long term. However, large trees were more likely to maintain a certain degree of TreM richness. Increasing diameters resulted in high persistence rates in seven TreM groups and concomitantly low loss rates in four of them (exposed sap- and heartwood, concavities). Selecting habitat trees based on TreMs should consider the likelihood of TreMs being lost over time, to ensure the long-term provision of microhabitats for associated species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperate woodlands are biodiverse natural communities threatened by land use change and fire suppression. Excluding historic disturbance regimes of periodic groundfires from woodlands causes degradation, resulting from changes in the plant community and subsequent biodiversity loss. Restoration, through prescribed fire and tree thinning, can reverse biodiversity losses, however, because the diversity of woodland species spans many taxa, efficiently quantifying biodiversity can be challenging. We assessed whether soundscapes in an eastern North American woodland reflect biodiversity changes during restoration measured in a concurrent multitrophic field study. In five restored and five degraded woodland sites in Wisconsin, USA, we sampled vegetation, measured arthropod biomass, conducted bird surveys, and recorded soundscapes for five days of every 15-day period from May to August 2022. We calculated two complementary acoustic indices: Soundscape Saturation, which focuses on all acoustically active species, and Acoustic Complexity Index (ACI), which was developed to study vocalizing birds. We used generalized additive models to predict both indices based on Julian date, time of day, and level of habitat degradation. We found that restored woodlands had higher arthropod biomass, and higher richness and abundance of breeding birds. Additionally, soundscapes in restored sites had higher mean Soundscape Saturation and higher mean ACI. Restored woodland acoustic indices exhibited greater magnitudes of daily and seasonal peaks. We conclude that woodland restoration results in higher soundscape saturation and complexity, due to greater richness and abundance of vocalizing animals. This bioacoustic signature of restoration offers a promising monitoring tool for efficiently documenting differences in woodland biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding which species will be extirpated in the aftermath of large‐scale human disturbance is critical to mitigating biodiversity loss, particularly in hyperdiverse tropical biomes. Deforestation is the strongest driver of contemporary local extinctions in tropical forests but may occur at different tempos. The 2 most extensive tropical forest biomes in South America—the Atlantic Forest and the Amazon—have experienced historically divergent pathways of habitat loss and biodiversity decay, providing a unique case study to investigate rates of local species persistence on a single continent. We quantified medium‐ to large‐bodied mammal species persistence across these biomes to elucidate how landscape configuration affects their persistence and associated ecological functions. We collected occurrence data for 617 assemblages of medium‐ to large‐bodied mammal species (>1 kg) in the Atlantic Forest and the Amazon. Analyzing natural habitat cover based on satellite data (1985–2022), we employed descriptive statistics and generalized linear models (GLMs) to investigate ecospecies occurrence patterns in relation to habitat cover across the landscapes. The subregional erosion of Amazonian mammal assemblage diversity since the 1970s mirrors that observed since the colonial conquest of the Atlantic Forest, given that 52.8% of all Amazonian mammals are now on a similar trajectory. Four out of 5 large mammals in the Atlantic Forest were prone to extirpation, whereas 53% of Amazonian mammals were vulnerable to extirpation. Greater natural habitat cover increased the persistence likelihood of ecospecies in both biomes. These trends reflected a median local species loss 63.9% higher in the Atlantic Forest than in the Amazon, which appears to be moving toward a turning point of forest habitat loss and degradation. The contrasting trajectories of species persistence in the Amazon and Atlantic Forest domains underscore the importance of considering historical habitat loss pathways and regional biodiversity erosion in conservation strategies. By focusing on landscape configuration and identifying essential ecological functions associated with large vertebrate species, conservation planning and management practices can be better informed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Decades of studies have demonstrated links between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, yet the generality of the relationships and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, especially for forest ecosystems.Using 11 tree‐diversity experiments, we tested tree species richness–community productivity relationships and the role of arbuscular (AM) or ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal‐associated tree species in these relationships.Tree species richness had a positive effect on community productivity across experiments, modified by the diversity of tree mycorrhizal associations. In communities with both AM and ECM trees, species richness showed positive effects on community productivity, which could have resulted from complementarity between AM and ECM trees. Moreover, both AM and ECM trees were more productive in mixed communities with both AM and ECM trees than in communities assembled by their own mycorrhizal type of trees. In communities containing only ECM trees, species richness had a significant positive effect on productivity, whereas species richness did not show any significant effects on productivity in communities containing only AM trees.Our study provides novel explanations for variations in diversity–productivity relationships by suggesting that tree–mycorrhiza interactions can shape productivity in mixed‐species forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Quantifying the phylogenetic diversity of temperate trees is essential for understanding the processes that have shaped the modern distribution of temperate broadleaf forest and other major forest biomes. Here, we focus on Fagales, an iconic member of forests worldwide, to uncover global diversity and endemism patterns and investigate the distribution of root nodule symbiosis (RNS), an important morphological specialisation in this clade, as a key factor behind these patterns. Location: Global. Taxon: Fagales. Methods: We combined phylogenetic data covering 60.2% of living species, fine‐scale distribution models covering 90% of species, and nodulation data covering all species to investigate the distribution of species richness and phylogenetic diversity at fine spatial scales compared to the distribution of RNS. We identify abiotic environmental factors associated with RNS and with Fagales diversity in general. Results: We find the highest species richness in temperate east Asia, eastern North America, and equatorial montane regions of Asia and Central America. By contrast, relative phylogenetic diversity (RPD) is highest at higher latitudes, where RNS also predominates. We found a strong spatial structuring of regionalisations of Fagales floras, reflecting distinct Northern and Southern Hemisphere floras (except a unique Afro‐Boreal region), each with distinct RNS‐environment relationships. Main Conclusions: Although species richness and phylogenetic regionalisation for Fagales accord well with traditional biogeographic concepts for temperate forests, this is not the case for RPD. RNS is almost universal in the highest RPD regions, which may reflect ecological filtering promoting RNS in these regions. Our results highlight the utility of global‐scale, clade‐specific spatial phylogenetics and its utility for understanding drivers of diversity in species‐rich clades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation and sustainable management of lineages providing non‐timber forest products are imperative under the current global biodiversity loss. Most non‐timber forest species, however, lack genomic studies that characterize their intraspecific variation and evolutionary history, which inform species' conservation practices. Contrary to many lineages in the Andean biodiversity hotspot that exhibit high diversification, the genus Parajubaea (Arecaceae) has only three species despite the genus' origin 22 million years ago. Two of the three palm species, P. torallyi and P. sunkha, are non‐timber forest species endemic to the Andes of Bolivia and are listed as IUCN endangered. The third species, P. cocoides, is a vulnerable species with unknown wild populations. We investigated the evolutionary relationships of Parajubaea species and the genetic diversity and structure of wild Bolivian populations. Sequencing of five low‐copy nuclear genes (3753 bp) challenged the hypothesis that P. cocoides is a cultigen that originated from the wild Bolivian species. We further obtained up to 15,134 de novo single‐nucleotide polymorphism markers by genotyping‐by‐sequencing of 194 wild Parajubaea individuals. Our total DNA sequencing effort rejected the taxonomic separation of the two Bolivian species. As expected for narrow endemic species, we observed low genetic diversity, but no inbreeding signal. We found three genetic clusters shaped by geographic distance, which we use to propose three management units. Different percentages of missing genotypic data did not impact the genetic structure of populations. We use the management units to recommend in situ conservation by creating new protected areas, and ex situ conservation through seed collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring species diversity along elevational gradients is important for understanding the underlying mechanisms. Our study focused on analyzing the species diversity of fungal communities and their subcommunities at different trophic and taxonomic levels across three high mountains of the Korean Peninsula, each situated in a different climatic zone. Using high-throughput sequencing, we aimed to assess fungal diversity patterns and investigate the primary environmental factors influencing fungal diversity. Our results indicate that soil fungal diversity exhibits different elevational distribution patterns on different mountains, highlighting the combined effects of climate, soil properties, and geographic topology. Notably, the total and available phosphorus contents in the soil emerged as key determinants in explaining the differences in diversity attributed to soil properties. Despite the varied responses of fungal diversity to elevational gradients among different trophic guilds and taxonomic levels, their primary environmental determinants remained remarkably consistent. In particular, total and available phosphorus contents showed significant correlations with the diversity of the majority of the trophic guilds and taxonomic levels. Our study reveals the absence of a uniform diversity pattern along elevational gradients, underscoring the general sensitivity of fungi to soil conditions. By enriching our understanding of fungal diversity dynamics, this research enhances our comprehension of the formation and maintenance of elevational fungal diversity and the response of microbial communities in mountain ecosystems to climate change. This study provides valuable insights for future ecological studies of similar biotic communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imaging spectroscopy is emerging as a leading remote sensing method for quantifying plant biodiversity. The spectral variation hypothesis predicts that variation in plant hyperspectral reflectance is related to variation in taxonomic and functional identity. While most studies report some correlation between spectral and field‐based (i.e., taxonomic and functional) expressions of biodiversity, the observed strength of association is highly variable, and the utility in applying spectral community properties to examine environmental drivers of communities remains unknown. We linked hyperspectral data acquired by airborne imaging spectrometers with precisely geolocated field plots to examine the spectral variation hypothesis along a temperate‐to‐boreal forest gradient in southern Québec, Canada. First, we examine the degree of association between spectral and field‐based dimensions of canopy tree composition and diversity. Second, we ask whether the relationships between field‐based community properties and the environment are reproduced when using spectral community properties. We found support for the spectral variation hypothesis with the strength of association generally greater for the functional than taxonomic dimension, but the strength of relationships was highly variable and dependent on the choice of method or metric used to quantify spectral and field‐based community properties. Using a multivariate approach (comparisons of separate ordinations), spectral composition was moderately well correlated with field‐based composition; however, the degree of association increased when univariately relating the main axes of compositional variation. Spectral diversity was most tightly associated with functional diversity metrics that quantify functional richness and divergence. For predicting canopy tree composition and diversity using environmental variables, the same qualitative conclusions emerge when hyperspectral or field‐based data are used. Spatial patterns of canopy tree community properties were strongly related to the turnover from temperate‐to‐boreal communities, with most variation explained by elevation. Spectral composition and diversity provide a straightforward way to quantify plant biodiversity across large spatial extents without the need for a priori field observations. While commonly framed as a potential tool for biodiversity monitoring, we show that spectral community properties can be applied more widely to assess the environmental drivers of biodiversity, thereby helping to advance our understanding of the drivers of biogeographical patterns of plant communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests are crucial for supporting various ecosystem functions and biodiversity, but they are vulnerable to global change drivers such as climate change and land use change. The special issue "How belowground biodiversity affects ecosystem functions of forests" explores the relationship between belowground biodiversity and ecosystem functions in forests. The papers in the special issue cover topics such as the potential drivers of soil microbial biodiversity, the effects of belowground biodiversity on multiple ecosystem functions, and the implications for future research. The findings highlight the importance of belowground biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem functions and provide insights for forest management and biodiversity conservation. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: Forest ecosystems are crucial for maintaining high levels of bacterial diversity and containing high amounts of carbon (C), both of which play essential roles in regulating C cycling in the soil and atmosphere through the processes of soil respiration and plant photosynthesis. However, how bacterial communities and different soil carbon components (e.g., soil organic carbon (SOC), readily oxidizable organic carbon (ROC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and microbial biomass carbon (MBC)) impact the soil respiration remains largely unknown. Therefore, we hypothesize that belowground bacterial communities and soil carbon contribute to soil respiration, which further influences soil carbon storage. Methods: We collected 24 soil samples from Mount Lu (subtropical forest ecosystem, China) along an elevation gradient consisting in eight levels. Here, we used high-throughput sequencing to detect bacterial alpha and beta diversity. We also measured several soil carbon variables, including SOC, ROC, DOC, and MBC. Particularly, regression analysis, structural equation modeling and random forest analysis were applied to explore the effects of bacterial diversity and soil carbon on soil respiration using R-3.6.2. Results: The results showed that soil respiration has a clearly positive linear regression (R2 = 0.35–0.61, p < 0.01) with all measured soil carbon components, including SOC, ROC, DOC, and MBC. Bacterial communities composition was significantly divergent along the elevation levels, primarily due to species replacement. Random forest and structural equation modeling analysis confirmed that soil carbon and bacterial beta diversity were the significant driving forces behind soil respiration. Additionally, bacterial communities composition significantly impacted changes in soil respiration, with five identified rare bacterial phyla (WPS-2, Gemmatimonadetes, Verrucomicrobia, Planctomycetes, and Cyanobacteria) significantly correlated with soil respiration. Meanwhile, random forest regression analysis showed that rare bacterial taxa, rather than abundant ones, were the primary bacterial predictors of soil respiration. Conclusion: Taken together, belowground bacterial communities and soil carbon variables jointly contribute to soil respiration in a subtropical forest, and further regulate soil C storage as well as even influence climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Efforts to understand how pollinating insect diversity is distributed across large geographic areas are rare despite the importance of such work for conserving regional diversity. We sought to relate the diversity of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea), hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae), and butterflies (Lepidoptera) to ecoregion, landscape context, canopy openness, and forest composition across southeastern U.S. forests. Location: Nineteen experimental forests across nine states in the southeastern U.S. Methods: We established 5–7 plots on each experimental forest. In each, we sampled pollinators monthly (March–September) using coloured pan traps, and collected data on local forest characteristics. We used the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) to quantify surrounding landcover at different spatial scales. Results: Bee richness was negatively correlated with both the amount of conifer (pine) forest and the extent of wetlands in the surrounding landscape but was positively correlated with canopy openness. Hover flies and butterflies were less sensitive to landscape context and stand conditions. Pollinator communities differed considerably among ecoregions, with those of the Central Appalachian and Coastal Plain ecoregions being particularly distinct. Bee richness and abundance peaked 2 months earlier in Central Appalachia than in the Coastal Plain and Southeastern Mixed Forest ecoregions. Main Conclusions: Our findings reveal ecoregional differences in pollinator communities across the southeastern U.S. and highlight the importance of landscape context and local forest conditions to this diverse fauna. The closed broadleaf forests of Appalachia and the open conifer‐dominated forests of the Coastal Plain support particularly distinct pollinator communities with contrasting seasonality. Our results suggest pine forests may reduce pollinator diversity in regions historically dominated by broadleaf forests. However, efforts to create more open canopies can help improve conditions for pollinators in planted pine forests. Research exploring associations between forest pollinators and different broadleaf tree taxa is needed to better anticipate the impacts of various management activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides the first data on amphibian diversity in the Yoko Forest Reserve, located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. During twenty-four field sampling campaigns organized over a period of twelve months, amphibians were collected from nocturnal surveys supported by three techniques: visual spotting using a headlamp, systematic searching of habitats and acoustic hearing of vocalizations. A total of 5707 amphibians in 10 families, 17 genera and 33 species were recorded throughout the study area. The Hyperoliidae and Arthroleptidae families were the most diverse, with Amnirana albolabris (Ranidae) the most abundant species, followed by Phrynobatrachus auritus (Phrynobatrachidae). By contrast, Afrixalus quadrivittatus, A. equatorialis, Arthroleptis tuberosus, A. variabilis, Cryptothylax greshoffi, Hyperolius langi, H. ocellatus, H. parallelus, Hyperolius sp., Hoplobatrachus occipitalis, Kassina maculosa, Leptopelis calcaratus, Nectophryne batesii, Phrynobatrachus perpalmatus, Sclerophrys gracilipes and S. gutturalis were less frequent. For the first time, Amietia nutti and Kassina maculosa have been reported in Congolese forests. Amphibian species known from the YFRE are widely distributed in Central African forests, and particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where A. equatorialis, H. langi, H. parallelus and Ptychadena christyi are endemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Genetic diversity of marine forests results from complex interactions of eco‐evolutionary processes. Among them, oceanographic connectivity driven by dispersal through water transport is hypothesized to play a pivotal role, yet its relative contribution has not been addressed at the global scale. Here, we test how present‐day oceanographic connectivity is correlated with the distribution of genetic diversity of marine forests across the ocean. Location: Global. Time period: Contemporary. Major taxa studied: Marine forests of brown macroalgae (order: Fucales, Ishigeales, Laminariales and Tilopteridales). Methods: Through literature review, we compiled a comprehensive dataset of genetic differentiation, encompassing 699 populations of 30 species. A biophysical model coupled with network analyses estimated multigenerational oceanographic connectivity and centrality across the marine forest global distribution. This approach integrated propagule dispersive capacity and long‐distance dispersal events. Linear mixed models tested the relative contribution of site‐specific processes, connectivity and centrality in explaining genetic differentiation. Results: We show that spatiality‐dependent eco‐evolutionary processes, as described by our models, are prominent drivers of genetic differentiation in marine forests (significant models in 91.43% of the cases with an average R2 of 0.50 ± 0.07). Specifically, we reveal that 18.7% of genetic differentiation variance is explicitly induced by predicted contemporary connectivity and centrality. Moreover, we demonstrate that long‐distance dispersal is key in connecting populations of species distributed across large water masses and continents. Main conclusions: Our findings highlight the role of present‐day oceanographic connectivity in shaping the extant distribution of genetic diversity of marine forests on a global scale, with significant implications for biogeography and evolution. This understanding can pave the way for future research aimed at guiding conservation efforts, including the designation of well‐connected marine protected areas, which is particularly relevant for sessile ecosystems structuring species such as brown macroalgae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical forest diversity governs forest structures, compositions, and influences the ecosystem response to environmental changes. Better representation of forest diversity in ecosystem demography (ED) models within Earth system models is thus necessary to accurately capture and predict how tropical forests affect Earth system dynamics subject to climate changes. However, achieving forest coexistence in ED models is challenging due to their computational expense and limited understanding of the mechanisms governing forest functional diversity. This study applies the advanced Multi‐Objective Population‐based Parallel Local Surrogate‐assisted search (MOPLS) optimization algorithm to simultaneously calibrate ecosystem fluxes and coexistence of two physiologically distinct tropical forest species in a size‐ and age‐structured ED model with realistic representation of wood harvest. MOPLS exhibits satisfactory model performance, capturing hydrological and biogeochemical dynamics observed in Barro Colorado Island, Panama, and robustly achieving coexistence for the two representative forest species. This demonstrates its effectiveness in calibrating tropical forest coexistence. The optimal solution is applied to investigate the recovery trajectories of forest biomass after various intensities of clear‐cut deforestation. We find that a 20% selective logging can take approximately 40 years for aboveground biomass to return to the initial level. This is due to the slow recovery rate of late successional trees, which only increases by 4% over the 40‐year period. This study lays the foundation to calibrate coexistence in ED models. MOPLS can be an effective tool to help better represent tropical forest diversity in Earth system models and inform forest management practices. Plain Language Summary: Tropical forests have extremely high levels of tree species diversity, which are estimated to harbor about 50% of the world's terrestrial plant species. Representing tropical forest diversity in Earth system models (ESMs) is important to accurately capture and predict the interactions between tropical forests and environmental changes. But simulating coexistence in ESMs is challenging, as only a limited number of models can simulate forest functional coexistence. In addition, only a few algorithms have been developed to calibrate ecosystem fluxes and tree coexistence concurrently. This study applies an advanced multi‐objective optimization algorithm to calibrate (a) carbon, water, and energy cycle‐related variables and (b) coexistence of two typical tropical forests (i.e., early and late successional forests). Our multi‐objective optimization algorithm can satisfactorily capture the dynamics in tropical forest ecosystems and effectively lead many more model runs to successful and stable coexistence than random sampling. The improved parameterization is further applied to investigate the recovery of forest biomass following various intensities of clear‐cut deforestation scenarios. Our results have important implications for capturing tropical forest diversity as well as their responses to environmental changes and human interventions such as wood harvest. Key Points: We calibrate tropical forest coexistence in a state‐of‐the‐art ecosystem demography model using advanced multi‐objective (MO) optimizationThe MO algorithm is easy to identify objective functions to achieve forest coexistence and much more effective than random samplingWe use the calibrated model to analyze the recovery trajectory of forest aboveground biomass under different intensities of deforestation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has triggered poleward expansions in the distributions of various taxonomic groups, including tree species. Given the ecological significance of trees as keystone species in forests and their socio‐economic importance, projecting the potential future distributions of tree species is crucial for devising effective adaptation strategies for both biomass production and biodiversity conservation in future forest ecosystems. Here, we fitted physiographically informed habitat suitability models (HSMs) at 50‐m resolution across Sweden (55–68° N) to estimate the potential northward expansion of seven broadleaved tree species within their leading‐edge distributions in Europe under different future climate change scenarios and for different time periods. Overall, we observed that minimum temperature was the most crucial variable for comprehending the spatial distribution of broadleaved tree species at their cold limits. Our HSMs projected a complex range expansion pattern for 2100, with individualistic differences among species. However, a frequent and rather surprising pattern was a northward expansion along the east coast followed by narrow migration pathways along larger valleys towards edaphically suitable areas in the north‐west, where most of the studied species were predicted to expand. The high‐resolution maps generated in this study offer valuable insights for our understanding of range shift dynamics at the leading edge of southern tree species as they expand into the receding boreal biome. These maps suggest areas where broadleaved tree species could already be translocated to anticipate forest and biodiversity conservation adaptation efforts in the face of future climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests provide important ecosystem services (ESs), including climate change mitigation, local climate regulation, habitat for biodiversity, wood and non‐wood products, energy, and recreation. Simultaneously, forests are increasingly affected by climate change and need to be adapted to future environmental conditions. Current legislation, including the European Union (EU) Biodiversity Strategy, EU Forest Strategy, and national laws, aims to protect forest landscapes, enhance ESs, adapt forests to climate change, and leverage forest products for climate change mitigation and the bioeconomy. However, reconciling all these competing demands poses a tremendous task for policymakers, forest managers, conservation agencies, and other stakeholders, especially given the uncertainty associated with future climate impacts. Here, we used process‐based ecosystem modeling and robust multi‐criteria optimization to develop forest management portfolios that provide multiple ESs across a wide range of climate scenarios. We included constraints to strictly protect 10% of Europe's land area and to provide stable harvest levels under every climate scenario. The optimization showed only limited options to improve ES provision within these constraints. Consequently, management portfolios suffered from low diversity, which contradicts the goal of multi‐functionality and exposes regions to significant risk due to a lack of risk diversification. Additionally, certain regions, especially those in the north, would need to prioritize timber provision to compensate for reduced harvests elsewhere. This conflicts with EU LULUCF targets for increased forest carbon sinks in all member states and prevents an equal distribution of strictly protected areas, introducing a bias as to which forest ecosystems are more protected than others. Thus, coordinated strategies at the European level are imperative to address these challenges effectively. We suggest that the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy, EU Forest Strategy, and targets for forest carbon sinks require complementary measures to alleviate the conflicting demands on forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the diversity and composition of agroforestry species in Rwanda's Eastern Plateau and Eastern Savannah agro-ecological zones. Examining these systems across diverse landscapes is crucial for selecting species adapted to local conditions. We surveyed four landscapes with varying tree cover levels, using stratified random sampling to allocate 240 plots for detailed field inventory. We analyzed dendrometric characteristics of woody vegetation, focusing on plants with ≥ 4 cm diameter at breast height (DBH). Exotic tree species comprised over 75% of trees across all landscapes. Diversity indices indicated significant differences in plant communities between the Eastern Savannah and Eastern Plateau, with higher diversity in the former. Sørensen's similarity coefficient for woody species between the two regions showed a moderate level of similarity (approximately 53%). However, there was a significant difference in the equitability of on-farm tree species between the zones, suggesting non-identical distribution patterns. The most common and dominant tree species were Grevillea robusta, Mangifera indica, and Persea americana, primarily used for timber and fruit production. Most encountered trees were small and scattered, with nearly 80% having a DBH below 20 cm, highlighting the prevalence of young trees. The dominance of exotic species emphasizes the need for further research on their impact on agricultural biodiversity, informing sustainable land management practices in Rwanda and similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Woodland expansion is widely promoted to address the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss. Woodland expansion undoubtedly delivers biodiversity and other ecosystem service benefits, but there is debate about where to place extensive new woodland in multi-use landscapes without negatively affecting existing biodiversity, and there is a need to better understand the biodiversity trade-offs associated with woodland expansion. Using the Cairngorm National Park (CNP) in northeast Scotland as a case study, we assessed how proposed woodland expansion targets might affect the distribution of mountain hares, an open moorland species strongly associated with moorland management. Using mountain hare survey, bioclimatic and land use data, we built a Species Distribution Model of mountain hares within the CNP and used this to predict their occurrence under current and proposed woodland expansion scenarios. Simulating the effects of an additional 70 and 350 km2 of new woodland cover showed that combined, these targets would see hares lost from 246 1-km squares, a 7% reduction in their occurrence compared to their 2006/2007 distribution. Changes in hare occurrence were driven by changes in management associated with landcover change more than by landcover change itself. Our results show that afforestation can negatively affect species occurrence directly through changes in landcover, and indirectly through changes in management associated with land landcover change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban forests face multiple human-mediated pressures leading to compromised ecosystem structure and functioning. Therefore, understanding ecosystem structure in response to ongoing pressures is crucial for sustaining ecological integrity and human well-being. We aim to assess the disturbance and its effects on the vegetation structure of urban forests in Chandigarh using a combination of remote sensing techniques and vegetation surveys. The disturbance was evaluated as a change in NDVI (Normalised Difference Vegetation Index) from 2001 to 2021 by applying the BFAST (Breaks For Additive Season and Trend) algorithm to the MODIS satellite imagery data. A vegetation survey was conducted to compare the species composition, taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity as measures of forest vegetational structure. While signals of disturbance were evident, the changes in vegetation structure were not well established from our study. Further, this analysis indicated no significant differences in vegetation composition due to disturbance (F1,12 = 0.91, p = 0.575). However, the phylogenetic diversity was substantially lower for disturbed plots than undisturbed plots, though the taxonomic diversity was similar among the disturbed and undisturbed plots. Our results confirmed that disturbance effects are more prominent on the phylogenetic than taxonomic diversity. These findings can be considered early signals of disturbance and its impact on the vegetation structure of urban forests and contribute to the knowledge base on urban ecosystems. Our study has implications for facilitating evidence-based decision-making and the development of sustainable management strategies for urban forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic land use and land cover change (LULCC) is projected to continue in the future. However, the influence of forest management on forest productivity change and subsequent LULCC projections remains under‐investigated. This study explored the impacts of forest management‐induced change in forest productivity on LULCC throughout the 21st century. Specifically, we developed a framework to softly couple the Global Change Analysis Model and Global Timber Model to consider forest management‐induced forest productivity change and projected future LULCC across the five Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs). We found future increases in forest management intensity overall drive the increase of forest productivity. The forest management‐induced forest productivity change shows diverse responses across all SSPs, with a global increase from 2015 to 2100 ranging from 3.9% (SSP3) to 8.8% (SSP1). This further leads to an overall decrease in the total area with a change of land use types, with the largest decrease under SSP1 (−7.5%) and the smallest decrease under SSP3 (−0.7%) in 2100. Among land use types, considering forest management‐induced change significantly reduces the expansion of managed forest and also reduces the loss of natural land in 2100 across SSPs. This suggests that ignoring forest management‐induced forest productivity change underestimates the efficiency of wood production, overestimates the managed forest expansion required to meet the future demand, and consequently, potentially introduces uncertainties into relevant analyses, for example, carbon cycle and biodiversity. Thus, we advocate to better account for the impacts of forest management in future LULCC projections. Plain Language Summary: Land use and land cover change has shown widespread social, economic, and environmental impacts. However, the influence of forest management on forest productivity change and subsequent land use and land cover change projections remains under‐investigated. This study explored how changes in forest productivity caused by forest management practices impact land use and land cover throughout the 21st century under various social and economic scenarios. The results show that more intense forest management generally leads to more productive forests. This, in turn, results in smaller changes in land use and land cover. Increasing forest management reduces the need to expand managed forests and helps preserve natural lands by 2100. Ignoring the impact of forest management on forest productivity could lead to biases in projecting forest expansion and wood production and potentially induce uncertainties in carbon cycling and biodiversity. Our results emphasize the need to account for forest management in future projections of land use and land cover changes. Key Points: Forest management‐induced productivity change has a significant impact on future land use and land cover change (LULCC)Neglecting such impact could overestimate the managed forest expansion and natural land reduction, especially under SSP1 and SSP5We advocate considering such impacts during LULCC projection to constrain the uncertainty [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In uneven-aged forests, trees of different diameters, heights, and ages are located in a small area, which is due to the felling of individual trees or groups of trees, as well as small-scale natural disturbances. In this article, we present an objective method for classifying forest stands into even- and uneven-aged stands based on freely available low-resolution (with an average recording density of 5 points/m2) national lidar data. The canopy closure, dominant height, and canopy height diversity from the canopy height model and the voxels derived from lidar data were used to classify the forest stands. Both approaches for determining forest structural diversity (canopy height diversity—CHDCHM and CHDV) yielded similar results, namely two clusters of even- and uneven-aged stands, although the differences in vertical diversity between even- and uneven-aged stands were greater when using CHM. The first analysis, using CHM for the CHD assessment, estimated the uneven-aged forest area as 49.3%, whereas the second analysis using voxels estimated it as 34.3%. We concluded that in areas with low laser scanner density, CHM analysis is a more appropriate method for assessing forest stand height heterogeneity. The advantage of detecting uneven-aged structures with voxels is that we were able to detect shade-tolerant species of varying age classes beneath a dense canopy of mature, dominant trees. The CHDCHM values were estimated to be 1.83 and 1.86 for uneven-aged forests, whereas they were 1.57 and 1.58 for mature even-aged forests. The CHDV values were estimated as 1.50 and 1.62 for uneven-aged forests, while they were 1.33 and 1.48 for mature even-aged forests. The classification of stands based on lidar data was validated with data from measurements on permanent sample plots. Statistically significantly lower average values of the homogeneity index and higher values of the Shannon–Wiener index from field measurements confirm the success of the classification of stands based on lidar data as uneven-aged forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate and soil properties are major determinants of plant growth and forest community assembly across diverse biomes. However, the contribution of climate and soil on species diversity in tropical and subtropical forests remains controversial. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effects of soil and climate on tree species richness using survey data across 495 tropical and subtropical forest plots in Southern China. The selected predictors were categorized as local plot characteristics, climate, and soil factors, and their relationship with tree species richness was modeled using negative binomial generalized linear models. The results revealed that the considering of the interaction between climate and soil properties considerably improved the goodness−of−fit of these models. The individual effects of climate and soil factors had weak relationships with species richness, accounting for 3.61% and 5.77% of the overall 58.9% explained variance in species richness, respectively. Instead, the interaction between climate and soil properties explained most of the statistical variation in tree species richness (84.34% of the overall 58.9% explained variance). The results highlight the importance of soil and climate interactions on tree diversity in tropical and subtropical mature natural forests and their incorporation into biodiversity assessment models to enhance the prediction of community change and responses to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant ecological strategies are essential for assessing habitat stress and disturbance and evaluating community productivity. These strategies provide theoretical frameworks for maintaining the natural state of vegetation and enhancing productivity. The functional traits of leaves reflect a plant's responses to environmental changes and contribute to understanding ecosystem stability, providing a basis for species diversity maintenance and effective conservation efforts. The Wuyishan National Park, a biodiversity hotspot in China, is a focal point for ecological research. Its evergreen, broad-leaved forest, the zonal vegetation of Mt. Wuyi, underpins plant diversity protection in the region. This study investigates the CSR (competitor, stress-tolerator, ruderal) strategy of 126 species on Wuyi Mountain to elucidate prevalent ecological strategies. The main ecological strategy of plants in the study area is the CS (competitor, stress-tolerator) strategy. The species exhibit nine categories. The most abundant ecological strategy is S/CS (plants from Fagaceae), accounting for 38%, followed by S/CSR at 23% (plants from Theaceae), CS at 20% (plants from Fagaceae and Theaceae), and the remaining strategies collectively at 19%. The different growth habit categories showed variations in the CSR strategies. The trees clustered around a CS median strategy, with no R-selected trees observed. Shrubs and lianas centered around an S/CSR strategy, while grasses and understory shrubs clustered around CS/CSR. Redundancy analysis results indicate that leaf functional traits are primarily influenced by temperature, suggesting that temperature is the key environmental factor driving the differentiation of plant functional traits. This study provides insights into the ecological strategies of plant species in the Mt. Wuyi region, highlighting the importance of considering both biotic and abiotic factors in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]