Does plantation forestry restore biodiversity or create green deserts? A synthesis of the effects of land-use transitions on plant species richness

Plantations are established for a variety of reasons including wood production, soil and water conservation, and more recently, carbon sequestration. The effect of this growing land-use change on biodiversity, however, is poorly understood and considerable debate exists as to whether plantations are ‘green deserts’ or valuable habitat for indigenous flora and fauna. This paper synthesizes peer-reviewed articles that provide quantitative data on plant species richness in plantations and paired land uses, most often representative of pre-plantation land cover. The results of this synthesis suggest that the value of plantations for biodiversity varies considerably depending on whether the original land cover is grassland, shrubland, primary forest, secondary forest, or degraded or exotic pasture, and whether native or exotic tree species are planted. The results of this study suggest that plantations are most likely to contribute to biodiversity when established on degraded lands rather than replacing natural ecosystems, such as forests, grasslands, and shrublands, and when indigenous tree species are used rather than exotic species. These findings can help guide afforestation and reforestation programs, including those aimed at increasing terrestrial carbon sequestration.     

Initial soil C and land‐use history determine soil C sequestration under perennial bioenergy crops

In the UK and other temperate regions, short rotation coppice (SRC) and Miscanthus x giganteus (Miscanthus) are two of the leading ‘second‐generation’ bioenergy crops. Grown specifically as a low‐carbon (C) fossil fuel replacement, calculations of the climate mitigation provided by these bioenergy crops rely on accurate data. There are concerns that uncertainty about impacts on soil C stocks of transitions from current agricultural land use to these bioenergy crops could lead to either an under‐ or overestimate of their climate mitigation potential. Here, for locations across mainland Great Britain (GB), a paired‐site approach and a combination of 30‐cm‐ and 1‐m‐deep soil sampling were used to quantify impacts of bioenergy land‐use transitions on soil C stocks in 41 commercial land‐use transitions; 12 arable to SRC, 9 grasslands to SRC, 11 arable to Miscanthus and 9 grasslands to Miscanthus. Mean soil C stocks were lower under both bioenergy crops than under the grassland controls but only significant at 0–30 cm. Mean soil C stocks at 0–30 cm were 33.55 ± 7.52 Mg C ha^?1 and 26.83 ± 8.08 Mg C ha^?1 lower under SRC (P = 0.004) and Miscanthus plantations (P = 0.001), respectively. Differences between bioenergy crops and arable controls were not significant in either the 30‐cm or 1‐m soil cores and smaller than for transitions from grassland. No correlation was detected between change in soil C stock and bioenergy crop age (time since establishment) or soil texture. Change in soil C stock was, however, negatively correlated with the soil C stock in the original land use. We suggest, therefore, that selection of sites for bioenergy crop establishment with lower soil C stocks, most often under arable land use, is the most likely to result in increased soil C stocks.     

东北过伐林区四种森林类型的物种多样性比较研究

运用无偏对应分析(DCA)、群落本质多样性排序和方差分析的方法,研究了东北过伐林区吉林省汪清林业局境内的四种森林类型——针阔混交林、阔叶混交林、柞木林和长白落叶松人工林的林分层次的植物物种多样性间的差异。从4种类型下层植被多样性指数的比较结果来看,针阔混交林最高,阔叶混交林和落叶松人工林次之,柞木林最低。最后提出了部分经营建议。     

川西亚高山林区不同土地利用与土地覆盖的地被物及土壤持水特征

川西亚高山森林是我国西南亚高山水源涵养林的重要组成部分.随着20世纪中叶以来农业人口的增加和森林的开发利用,受干扰强度、频度和干扰时间的影响,原始暗针叶林退化为耕地、草地、灌丛、次生阔叶林或人工林.1998年后,该区相继启动天然林保护工程和退耕还林工程.为评价工程效益,确定长江上游水源涵养林的恢复与重建模式,需要进行不同土地利用类型之间生态水文效应的对比分析.通过野外调查与室内实验,对比分析了川西亚高山林区农田、草地、退耕还林地、灌丛、次生桦木林、人工云杉林和老龄针叶林的地被物(苔藓与枯落物)和土壤持水特征,结果表明:不同土地利用与覆盖类型间地被物和土壤持水性能差异显著.随着干扰程度的增加,苔藓、枯落物蓄积量及最大持水量下降,土壤容重增加,土壤持水性能下降.苔藓最大持水量排序是老龄针叶林>人工云杉林>天然次生林>灌丛.枯落物最大持水量排序是老龄针叶林>天然次生林>人工云杉林>灌丛>草地>退耕还林地.人工云杉林与天然次生林之间、草地与退耕还林地之间苔藓和枯落物最大持水量没有显著差异.土壤0～40cm最大持水量排序是天然次生林>老龄针叶林>人工云杉林>灌丛>农田>草地>退耕还林地,其中天然次生林显著高于人工云杉林,草地与退耕还林地之间没有显著差异.对于森林恢复途径和树种的选择,需要考虑未来林分的多种生态系统服务功能.     

Bird communities of natural and modified habitats in Panama

Only a small proportion of land can realistically be protected as nature reserves and thus conservation efforts also must focus on the ecological value of agroecosystems and developed areas surrounding nature reserves. In this study, avian communities were surveyed in 11 habitat types in central Panama, across a gradient from extensive forest to intensive agricultural land uses, to examine patterns of species richness and abundance and community composition. Wooded habitats, including extensive and fragmented forests, shade coffee plantations, and residential areas supported the most species and individuals. Nearctic-Neotropical migratory species were most numerous in lowland forest fragments, shade coffee, and residential areas. Introduced Pinus caribbea and sugar cane plantations supported the fewest species compared to all other habitats. Cattle pastures left fallow for less than two years supported more than twice as many total species as actively grazed pastures, such that species richness in fallow pastures was similar to that found in wooded habitats. Community similarities were relatively low among all habitat types (none exceeding the observed 65% similarity between extensive and fragmented lowland forests), but communities in shade coffee and residential areas were 43% and 54′% similar to lowland forest fragments, respectively. Fallow pastures and residential areas shared 60% of their species. Bird communities in shade coffee and residential areas were characterized by higher proportions of frugivorous and nectarivorous species than in native forests. These same guilds also were better represented in fallow than in grazed pastures. Raptors and piscivorous species were most prevalent in cattle pastures and rice fields. These results, though based upon only species richness and abundance, demonstrate that many human-altered habitats have potential ecological value for birds, and conservation efforts in tropical areas should focus greater attention on enhancement of agricultural and developed lands as wildlife habitat. To understand the true conservation value of these modified lands will require examination not only of numbers but also of the types of species supported by these habitats, their reproductive output and survival rates.     

川西不同树种人工林对土壤涵水能力的影响

为评价青藏高原东缘不同树种造林对土壤涵水能力的影响,选择立地条件与营林方式相同的4种人工林(连香树(Cercidiphyllum japonicum)、油松(Pinus tabulaeformis)、落叶松(Larix kaempferi)和华山松(Pinus armandii))为研究对象,以落叶阔叶灌丛为对照,比较造林恢复28 a后不同人工林土壤孔隙度及持水性的变化,结合林地凋落物贮量及细根生物量等参数,试图揭示造成不同人工林地土壤涵水能力及潜力差异化的因素。结果显示:营造油松和华山松纯林不仅没能有效改善土壤孔隙状况,反而加剧了土壤涵水功能的退化。相反,连香树和落叶松在代替次生落叶灌丛造林后,土壤容重显著下降,孔隙度增加且小孔隙比例升高,持蓄水能力提高。凋落物及细根特性是不同林地土壤持水性能差异的重要因素。综合分析表明,在对退化生态系统进行造林恢复时,应尽量避免营造高密度针叶纯林,应结合种植有助于土壤结构改良的落叶或阔叶树种。     

Ecological function losses caused by monotonous land use induce crop raiding by wildlife on the island of Yakushima,southern Japan

Mass production is a logical outcome of price competition in a capitalist economy. It has resulted in the need for large-scale logging and planting of commercial crops. However, such monotonous land use, or monoculture, has damaged various ecological functions of forests and eroded the beneficial public service provided by forests. In Japan, the most widespread monotonous land use is associated with coniferous plantations, the expansion of which was encouraged by Forest Agency policies from 1958 that were aimed at increasing wood production. By 1986, half of all forested lands had been transformed into single-species conifer plantations. These policies may damage the ecological functions of forests: to provide stable habitats for forest wildlife. In particular, food supplies for wildlife have fluctuated greatly after several decades of logging. Some species have therefore changed their ecology and begun to explore novel environments proactively in order to adapt to such extreme fluctuations. Such species have started to use farmlands that neighbor the plantations. In this sense, crop raiding by wildlife can be regarded as a negative result of monotonous land use due to the loss of ecological functions. Therefore, habitat management to rehabilitate ecological functions and to reorganize the landscape will be required in order to resolve the problem of crop raiding by wildlife. This study examines crop raiding by Japanese deer (Cervus nippon) and monkeys (Macaca fuscata) on the island of Yakushima, which typifies crop-raiding situations in Japan.     

Assessing the conservation value of a human-dominated island landscape: Plant diversity in Hawaii

The conversion of native habitats to pasture and other working lands, unbuilt lands modified by humans for production, is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. While some human-dominated landscapes on continents support relatively high native biodiversity, this capacity is little studied in oceanic island systems characterized by high endemism and vulnerability to invasion. Using Hawaii as a case study, we assessed the conservation value of working landscapes on an oceanic island by surveying native and non-native plant diversity in mature native forest and in the three dominant land covers/uses to which it has been converted: native, Acacia koa timber plantations, wooded pasture, and open pasture. As expected, native plant diversity (richness and abundance) was significantly higher and non-native abundance significantly lower in mature native forests than any other site type. A. koa plantations and wooded pasture supported four and three times greater, respectively, species richness of native understory plants than open pasture. Also, A. koa plantations and wooded pasture supported similar species communities with about 75% species in common. Conservation and restoration of mature native forest in Hawaii is essential for the protection of native, rare species and limiting the spread of non-native species. A. koa plantations and wooded pasture, however, may help harmonize production and conservation by supporting livelihoods, more biodiversity than open pasture, and some connectivity between native forest remnants important for sustaining landscape-level conservation value into the future.     

Flora diversity of farm forestry plantations in southeast Queensland

Summary Plant species composition in plantation monoculture of the native Gympie Messmate (Eucalyptus cloeziana F. Muell.) was assessed and compared with native eucalypt forest and cleared grazing land in southeast Queensland, Australia. A total of 18 sites (11 in the plantations, four in native eucalypt forests and three on cleared grazing land) were surveyed. The four plantation age classes during the 18‐month survey period were 0.3–1.8 (very young), 2.1–3.8 (young), 15–16.5 (mid‐aged) and 38–40.5 (old) years of age. Significantly more native plant species were recorded in the plantations, regardless of their age, than on cleared grazing land. The number of native plant species in the old plantations was not significantly different from the native eucalypt forests. Native tree and shrub species richness increased significantly with plantation age. Two species (Ricinocarpos speciosus Muell. Arg. and Xanthostemon oppositifolius F. M. Bailey) listed as Vulnerable and one species (Alyxia magnifolia F. M. Bailey) listed as Rare were recorded in the old plantations. Two Rare species (A. magnifolia and Acianthus amplexicaulis (F. M. Bailey) Rolfe) were recorded in the native eucalypt forests. Exotic plant species, consisting mainly of herbs, grasses and shrubs in the plantations, were significantly more abundant in the very young and young plantations. However, the number of exotic species decreased significantly with increasing age of the plantations. The results suggest that even small‐scale plantation can increase landscape heterogeneity and help protect biodiversity.     

Recovery of species diversity and composition of braconid parasitic wasps after reforestation of degraded grasslands in lowland East Kalimantan

Human-induced disturbances and wildfires can transform areas of tropical rainforest into Imperata-dominated grassland, but it may be possible that recovery of biodiversity is facilitated by reforestation with fast-growing trees. We compared the assemblages of braconid wasps as parasitoids of taxonomically diverse groups of insects among Imperata grasslands, young and mature plantations of Acacia mangium, young secondary forests after wildfires, and old secondary forests in the lowland of East Kalimantan. The abundance and species richness of braconids, which had declined in Imperata grasslands, somewhat increased in Acacia plantations, and also the species composition of braconids in Acacia plantations was transitional between Imperata grasslands and old secondary forests. Parasitoids of detritivores and wood borers increased markedly after plantation, while those of herbivores showed a distinct turnover of species all over the range from grasslands to old secondary forests. The plantation of A. mangium had most likely facilitated the recovery of the diversity of host forest and their parasitoids, but the recovery was just at the rudimentary stage even in mature plantations. Monitoring of parasitic wasps would be useful to test the continuous recovery of forest biodiversity in plantation stands.     

Effects of land use history on hurricane damage and recovery in a neotropical forest

Prior land-use history might influence damage and recovery of plant communities from natural disturbance. We examined effects of previous agricultural land use on damage and recovery of plant communities affected by Hurricane Georges. The study was conducted in the karst region of Los Haitises National Park, Dominican Republic. We compared pre- and post-hurricane stem density, basal area and diversity of woody vegetation in sites within the park that had been subject to different land use histories. The type of land uses included a wide range of histories, ranging from abandoned pastures and conucos (mixed plantings) to cacao plantations, intact forests and mogotes (hilltop communities) with no recent history of land use. Previous land use and the amount of basal area present prior to the hurricane determined effects of, and recovery from hurricane disturbance. Systems with high pre-hurricane basal area lost many large trees, whereas the basal area hardly changed in systems without large trees. Thus, basal area decreased at forested sites, mogotes, and cacao plantations and remained comparable to pre-hurricane figures in all other land uses. Shifts in species diversity paralleled to some degree reductions in basal area. Species diversity increased in mogotes and cacao plantations, perhaps as a result of hurricane damage to the forest canopy, which facilitated regeneration of heliophilic species. Finally, regeneration of cacao seedlings in former cacao plantations, and growth of pioneer species in young conucos (mixed plantings) more than doubled post-hurricane stem densities for these two types of land use. Previous agricultural land use left a lasting impression on the structure and composition on plant communities, which persisted even after hurricane damage. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of creation of open vegetation in abandoned terraced paddy fields on carabid beetle assemblages in temperate Japan

Many paddy fields in the mountainous rural areas of Japan have been abandoned since the 1960s, and forests have regenerated on these sites. In a mountainous area on Sado Island, a large number of abandoned paddies were converted into wetlands and open terrestrial vegetation. In this study, we used pitfall traps to examine the effects of the creation of open vegetation on carabid beetle assemblages by investigating 14 sites spanning five vegetation types: six sites in secondary forests (three coppice forests and three 40‐year‐old regenerating forests on abandoned paddies), three each in clear‐cuts and paddy levees, and two in grasslands. The 14 study sites were clearly separated into two groups different in the species composition of carabid beetles: secondary forest and grassland‐levee groups. The species composition of two clear‐cut sites was similar to that of secondary forests, whereas that of the remaining one clear‐cut site was similar to that of grasslands. Analyses of species responses showed various habitat preferences, e.g., for only coppice forests, for two types of secondary forests, for secondary forests and clear‐cuts, for clear‐cuts and grasslands, and for grasslands or levees, or no clear preference. There were no characteristic species in the regenerating forests. These results suggest that the 40‐year‐old regenerating forests may sustain only a limited subset of the carabid fauna found in coppice forests and that the creation of open vegetation in the abandoned paddies enhances carabid diversity at the landscape level by raising β diversity among the different vegetation types.     

Community Comparison and Determinant Analysis of Understory Vegetation in Six Plantations in South China

Plantations cover large areas in many countries, and the enhancement of plantation biodiversity is an increasingly important ecological concern. Many studies have demonstrated that overstory composition is important because it influences understory regeneration. To compare the understory vegetation and analyze its determinant factors, six typical plantations in South China were investigated: Acacia mangium plantation, Schima superba plantation, Eucalyptus citriodora plantation, E. exserta plantation, mixed‐coniferous plantation, and mixed native species plantation. The results show that native species plantations shaded out more grasses and herbs than exotic species plantations, mixed‐species plantations recruited more understory species than monoculture plantations, the leguminous species plantation had higher soil nitrogen than nonleguminous species plantations, and understory vegetation in the mixed‐coniferous plantation was similar to that of mixed, native broadleaf species plantation. Although light is the crucial environmental factor affecting the understory community and diversity among the 14 measured factors, other environmental variables such as soil nutrients and soil moisture are also important.     

Target regions for silvoarable agroforestry in Europe

Silvoarable agroforestry (SAF) has recently been proposed as an alternative land-use system for Europe. Data on soil, climate, topography, and land cover were integrated in a geographic information system (GIS) to identify agroforestry target regions where (i) productive growth of trees (Juglans spp., Prunus avium, Populus spp., Pinus pinea, and Quercus ilex) in SAF systems could be expected and where (ii) SAF systems could potentially reduce the risk of soil erosion, nitrate leaching and increase landscape diversity.The analysis shows that the investigated tree species could grow productively in SAF systems on 56% of the arable land throughout Europe (potential productive tree growth area). 80% of the European arable land was classified as potential risk area for soil erosion, nitrate leaching, and/or landscape diversity. Overlaying potential productive tree growth areas with the arable land that was considered as environmental risk area yielded target regions. They were found to make up about 40% of the European arable land and thus SAF could contribute to soil protection on 4%, to mitigate nitrate leaching on 18% and to increase landscape diversity on 32% of European arable land.Although limited by constrained data availability, the study shows that SAF could be implemented in a productive way throughout Europe and that it could help resolve some of the major land-use problems. The environmental benefits could justify the support of SAF by subsidies.     

Evaluation of the ECOSSE model for simulating soil organic carbon under Miscanthus and short rotation coppice‐willow crops in Britain

In this paper, we focus on the impact on soil organic carbon (SOC) of two dedicated energy crops: perennial grass Miscanthus x Giganteus (Miscanthus) and short rotation coppice (SRC)‐willow. The amount of SOC sequestered in the soil is a function of site‐specific factors including soil texture, management practices, initial SOC levels and climate; for these reasons, both losses and gains in SOC were observed in previous Miscanthus and SRC‐willow studies. The ECOSSE model was developed to simulate soil C dynamics and greenhouse gas emissions in mineral and organic soils. The performance of ECOSSE has already been tested at site level to simulate the impacts of land‐use change to short rotation forestry (SRF) on SOC. However, it has not been extensively evaluated under other bioenergy plantations, such as Miscanthus and SRC‐willow. Twenty‐nine locations in the United Kingdom, comprising 19 paired transitions to SRC‐willow and 20 paired transitions to Miscanthus, were selected to evaluate the performance of ECOSSE in predicting SOC and SOC change from conventional systems (arable and grassland) to these selected bioenergy crops. The results of the present work revealed a strong correlation between modelled and measured SOC and SOC change after transition to Miscanthus and SRC‐willow plantations, at two soil depths (0–30 and 0–100 cm), as well as the absence of significant bias in the model. Moreover, model error was within (i.e. not significantly larger than) the measurement error. The high degrees of association and coincidence with measured SOC under Miscanthus and SRC‐willow plantations in the United Kingdom, provide confidence in using this process‐based model for quantitatively predicting the impacts of future land use on SOC, at site level as well as at national level.     

Bats of the Chilean temperate rainforest: patterns of landscape use in a mosaic of native forests,eucalyptus plantations and grasslands within a South American biodiversity hotspot

Forestry plantations represent about 4 % of the global land cover and demand for wood is steadily increasing worldwide. Impacts of forest plantations on biodiversity are controversial; forest plantations could positively influence biodiversity by producing a buffer zone between native forests and agriculture, while replacement of native forests with plantations could reduce biodiversity. Chile is one of the main producers of wood worldwide, and production is largely based on intensively managed monocultures of exotic tree species. Only a few studies have looked at the effects of forestry plantations on biodiversity in Chile, mainly focusing on pine plantations. The aim of this study was to characterize habitat use and richness of bats between native forests, eucalyptus plantations and grasslands in a biodiversity hotspot in southern Chile to determine how land use affects an important mammalian taxa. We found no difference in use or richness of bats in eucalyptus plantations versus native forests. Regional context within the larger Valdivian watershed (Andes, central valley, coastal range) had a stronger influence on bat activity and richness than land use type (native forest, plantation, grassland), with the Andean region being the most diverse and where most bat activity is concentrated. Our results suggest that the composition and structure of the surrounding landscape mosaic may be fundamental to determine the impacts of forestry and human land use on biodiversity.     

Floristics of soil seed banks on agricultural and disturbed land cleared of tropical forests

Little is known about how soil seed banks vary in germination, composition, and density under different land uses after tropical forest conversion. Seed banks can potentially act as one source of regeneration for reforestation of old agricultural lands. Our study documents the composition and density of germinants in soil seed banks from four land uses types surrounding the Sinharaja forest in southwest Sri Lanka. These include: (1) kekilla fern lands; (2) pine plantations; and (3) tea. These were compared to the adjacent (4) mature rainforest. During the 6‐month period of monitoring, we recorded 1,674 germinants (0.036 germinants/cm³ soil), representing 46 species. Germinants of tree and shrub species were restricted to the pine and rainforest soils and all of them are considered pioneers. The soils of the rainforest had the lowest species richness, density, and diversity of germinants; tea lands comprised much higher richness, Shannon diversity, and density. However, almost all germinants in tea were grasses and herbs as compared with other land uses. A multivariate analysis of the germinants of soil seed banks revealed that the four land use types comprise very different compositions and abundances, some of which can be associated with differences in growth habit (trees, shrubs, vines, herbs, grasses). Our results suggest that pine plantations may facilitate some tree and shrub regeneration. However, the seed banks beneath tea and kekilla fern land do not comprise any woody plant species. This may explain why agricultural lands such as tea do not revert back to forest easily.     

The occurrence of C4 plants and their morphological functional types in the vegetation of Xinjiang, China

Floristic composition, morphological functional types and habitat distributions for C₄ species were studied in Xinjiang, North-western China. 89 species, in 9 families and 41 genera, were identified with C₄ photosynthesis. 48 % of these C₄ species were found in Monocotyledoneae, e.g. Cyperaceae (5 species), Gramineae (38 species), the other 52 % was in Dicotyledoneae, e.g. Chenopodiaceae (29 species), Amaranthaceae (7 species), and Polygonaceae (5 species). Compared with those in semi-arid grasslands in North China and tropical forests in South China, more plant families were found with the occurrence of C₄ plants in this arid region. Relatively higher annual species (63 %), shrubs (18 %), and Chenopodiaceae C₄ species (33 %) compositions were the primary characteristics for the C₄ species occurring in Xinjiang, and this was remarkably related with its arid environment. More Chenopodiaceae C₄ species occurring in the region suggested that this type of C₄ species may have higher capacity to fit the air and soil droughts. There was a strong relationship between C₄ occurrence and habitat distributions, more than half of the total 89 C₄ species were found in disturbed and cultivated lands and early stages of vegetation successions, indicating C₄ occurrence was not only related with climate changes, but also with land uses and vegetation dynamics.     

我国南方4种常见人工林林下植物多样性特征及影响因素

为了解长期植被恢复的成熟人工林林下植物组成与多样性特征及其影响因素,基于广东鹤山生态系统国家野外科学观测研究站的南亚热带人工林生态系统,对环境相似(坡度、坡向、海拔)、30 a生4种类型人工林(桉树混交林、马占相思纯林、乡土混交林、针叶混交林)进行调查研究,分析林下植物组成和物种多样性(Shannon-Wiener指数、Simpson指数、Pielou指数)特征。结果表明,人工林林下植物类型丰富,均可形成乔-灌-草垂直结构;4种林型林下植物组成既有相似性,也有差异性,桉树混交林与针叶混交林、马占相思纯林与乡土混交林的灌木层组成相似;桉树混交林与马占相思纯林、乡土混交林与针叶混交林的草本层组成相似,而桉树混交林与针叶混交林的草本层组成极不相似。林分类型影响林下植物多样性,马占相思纯林林下灌草多样性显著低于其他3种混交林(P<0.05),灌木物种数、个体数最少;针叶混交林林下物种丰富度最高。林分郁闭度与林下植物多样性呈正相关(P<0.001),林下植物分布与土壤养分含量相关,桉树混交林、马占相思纯林林下植物多样性与不同形态氮含量相关,有效磷、全磷影响乡土混交林林下物种的分布,针叶混交林受土壤酸碱度、全钾的影响较为明显。在4种人工林林下植物群落中,乡土混交林多样性,均匀度最高,优势度最低,具有更佳的保育和维持林下生物多样性功能。因此,乡土树种混交林更适用于生态公益林构建或对一些针叶林及外来树种纯林进行林分改造。     

Does Tree Species Composition Affect Productivity in a Tropical Planted Forest?

With growing pressure on primary forests from destructive land uses, increasing the diversity of native species plantations can increase ecosystem service provision, such as timber production or carbon sequestration, thus better supporting sustainable livelihoods. Understanding the effects of tree species composition on productivity can inform plantation design and ecological restoration strategies. However, tree species composition effects have been neglected in experimental biodiversity‐ecosystem function (BEF) research. This study uses a 10‐yr data set from one of the first tropical planted forest experiments established with native species and designed for BEF research at scales relevant to forest management. At our site in Sardinilla, Panama, we established plots containing 6 species from a pool of 18, in four combinations, to investigate how composition affects species and plot productivity. We used basal area as a proxy for productivity through time, measured annually, and summed this at species and plot levels for analysis. We found that plots that differed in species composition appeared to differ in temporal rate of basal area increase, but did not differ in BA after 10 yr. Species were generally consistent in size between compositions, and composition performance was correlated with the size of component species, suggesting that species identities were most important in determining plot productivity. Our results suggest that species choice can be based on preferences for individual species, as species performance was consistent across composition contexts. We make recommendations for the use of particularly productive species that also provide multiple services such as Guazuma ulmifolia, Spondias mombin, and Anacardium excelsum.