Effects of successional age, plot size, and tree size on the relationship between diversity and aboveground biomass in tropical dry forests

Abstract

Depending on the strength of the relationship between biodiversity and aboveground biomass (AGB), diversity loss could lead to varied declines in carbon storage, compromising the role of forests as carbon sink. This study assesses different factors affecting the diversity–AGB relationship, including small trees (diameter < 7.5 cm) and considering different diversity metrics (Hill numbers), plot sizes (80, 400 and 1000 m²) and successional age categories (8–22, 23–30 and > 60 years). The study compares these relationships across three types of tropical dry forests: deciduous, semi-deciduous, and semi-evergreen. Results reveal the highest deviance values in plots with large trees in the 400 m² size (d² = 40.4), decreasing when small trees were included (d² = 25.8). Higher deviance values show the major contribution of large trees to diversity and AGB of 400 m² plots, while lower deviance values indicate the high contribution of small trees to diversity but limited contribution to AGB. When analyzing only large trees, deviance decreased with the order of Hill numbers. However, incorporating small trees increased deviance for higher Hill numbers. This is because abundance of small and large trees together has a greater influence on AGB. The diversity–AGB relationship was more prevalent and stronger in the semideciduous forest, which had marked orographic and successional age variation. The strongest diversity–AGB effect occurred in early successional ages, weakening in older stages. Our results show that accuracy in estimating the diversity–AGB relationship varies with plant size, diversity parameters, plot size and forest type.