Data from: Neighbour species richness and local structural variability modulate aboveground allocation patterns and crown morphology of individual trees
Cite this dataset
Kunz, Matthias et al. (2019). Data from: Neighbour species richness and local structural variability modulate aboveground allocation patterns and crown morphology of individual trees [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.0gb5mkkwk
Abstract
Local neighbourhood interactions are considered a main driver for biodiversity–productivity relationships in forests. Yet, the structural responses of individual trees in species mixtures and their relation to crown complementarity remain poorly understood. Using a large‐scale forest experiment, we studied the impact of local tree species richness and structural variability on above‐ground wood volume allocation patterns and crown morphology. We applied terrestrial laser scanning to capture the three‐dimensional structure of trees and their temporal dynamics. We found that crown complementarity and crown plasticity increased with species richness. Trees growing in species‐rich neighbourhoods showed enhanced aboveground wood volume both in trunks and branches. Over time, neighbourhood diversity induced shifts in wood volume allocation in favour of branches, in particular for morphologically flexible species. Our results demonstrate that diversity‐mediated shifts in allocation pattern and crown morphology are a fundamental mechanism for crown complementarity and may be an important driver of overyielding.
Usage notes
Data from: Neighbour species richness and local structural variability modulate aboveground allocation patterns and crown morphology of individual trees
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The dataset CCI_Data_2015_Site_A.csv contains the local crown complementarity index data for target trees in monocultures and mixtures in the year 2015 (Site A, BEF-China experiment)
Column description for CCI_Data_2015_Site_A.csv:
PLOT_NO ... Plot tag in main experiment
CCI ... Local crown complementarity index
NSR ... Neighbourhood species richness
TREE_R ... Plot species richness
nb_Crown.FDis ... Neighbourhood variation in crown shape
nb_CrVol_RaoQ ... Neighbourhood variation in crown size
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Further inventory data as well as metadata for the BEF-China experiment can be requested and downloaded from the BEF-China data portal (http://china.befdata.biow.uni-leipzig.de/).
For further information or requests please contact: matthias.kunz@tu-dresden.de, Institute of General Ecology and Environmental Protection, TU Dresden, Germany.