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Seeing Central African forests through their largest trees

Authors :
Bastin, Jean-François
Beina, Denis
Couteron, Pierre
Chuyong, George
Dauby, Gilles
Doucet, Jean-Louis
Droissart, Vincent
Dufrène, Marc
Ewango, Corneille
Gillet, Jean-Francois
Gonmadje, Christelle Flore
Barbier, Nicolas Serge
Hart, Terese
Kavali, T.
Kenfack, David
Libalah, Moses
Malhi, Yadvinder
Makana, Jean Rémy
Pélissier, Raphaël
Ploton, Pierre
Serckx, Adeline
Sonke, Bonaventure
Rejou-Mechain, Maxime
Stevart, Tariq
Thomas, Duncan W
De Cannière, Charles
Bogaert, Jan
Fayolle, Adeline
Gourlet-Fleury, Sylvie
Maniatis, Danae
De Haulleville, Thales
Baya, Fidèle
Beeckman, Hans
Bastin, Jean-François
Beina, Denis
Couteron, Pierre
Chuyong, George
Dauby, Gilles
Doucet, Jean-Louis
Droissart, Vincent
Dufrène, Marc
Ewango, Corneille
Gillet, Jean-Francois
Gonmadje, Christelle Flore
Barbier, Nicolas Serge
Hart, Terese
Kavali, T.
Kenfack, David
Libalah, Moses
Malhi, Yadvinder
Makana, Jean Rémy
Pélissier, Raphaël
Ploton, Pierre
Serckx, Adeline
Sonke, Bonaventure
Rejou-Mechain, Maxime
Stevart, Tariq
Thomas, Duncan W
De Cannière, Charles
Bogaert, Jan
Fayolle, Adeline
Gourlet-Fleury, Sylvie
Maniatis, Danae
De Haulleville, Thales
Baya, Fidèle
Beeckman, Hans
Source :
Scientific reports, 5
Publication Year :
2015

Abstract

Large tropical trees and a few dominant species were recently identified as the main structuring elements of tropical forests. However, such result did not translate yet into quantitative approaches which are essential to understand, predict and monitor forest functions and composition over large, often poorly accessible territories. Here we show that the above-ground biomass (AGB) of the whole forest can be predicted from a few large trees and that the relationship is proved strikingly stable in 175 1-ha plots investigated across 8 sites spanning Central Africa. We designed a generic model predicting AGB with an error of 14% when based on only 5% of the stems, which points to universality in forest structural properties. For the first time in Africa, we identified some dominant species that disproportionally contribute to forest AGB with 1.5% of recorded species accounting for over 50% of the stock of AGB. Consequently, focusing on large trees and dominant species provides precise information on the whole forest stand. This offers new perspectives for understanding the functioning of tropical forests and opens new doors for the development of innovative monitoring strategies.<br />SCOPUS: ar.j<br />info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Details

Database :
OAIster
Journal :
Scientific reports, 5
Notes :
1 full-text file(s): application/pdf, English
Publication Type :
Electronic Resource
Accession number :
edsoai.ocn922574476
Document Type :
Electronic Resource