Tree diversity,tree height and environmental harshness in eastern and western North America

Does variation in environmental harshness explain local and regional species diversity gradients? We hypothesise that for a given life form like trees, greater harshness leads to a smaller range of traits that are viable and thereby also to lower species diversity. On the basis of a strong dependence of maximum tree height on site productivity and other measures of site quality, we propose maximum tree height as an inverse measure of environmental harshness for trees. Our results show that tree species richness is strongly positively correlated with maximum tree height across multiple spatial scales in forests of both eastern and western North America. Maximum tree height co‐varied with species richness along gradients from benign to harsh environmental conditions, which supports the hypothesis that harshness may be a general mechanism limiting local diversity and explaining diversity gradients within a biogeographic region.     

Protective management of trees against debarking by deer negatively impacts bryophyte diversity

When wildlife populations become too large, they impact other flora and fauna within the ecosystems that they inhabit. For example, the recent rise in population numbers of sika deer in Japan has led to the stripping of bark from tree overstories in forested areas. This has led to protective management actions, such as wrapping the trunks of trees in wire mesh. The present study investigates the impact of this management action on epiphytic diversity at Mt. Ohdaigahara, which is one of the hotspots for bryophyte diversity in Japan. The correlation between the diversity of epiphytic bryophytes and environmental variables was examined, including the presence/absence of wire mesh protection. A generalized linear model showed that species richness and bryophyte cover was significantly correlated with both tree diameter (at 1.5 m height) and tree density (P < 0.01), but negatively correlated with wire mesh protection. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry analysis showed a significant 3- to 6-fold higher concentration of zinc in bryophytes occupying tree bark under wire mesh protection than for those without wire mesh. Hence, the high sensitivity of bryophytes to zinc accumulation, as a result of toxicity caused by galvanized iron mesh, has led to the loss of species richness and bryophyte cover on tree trunks. Furthermore, other heavy metals found in wire mesh may also contribute to the negative effect on bryophytes. Therefore, to establish best practices for biodiversity conservation that include bryophytes, materials that are free of heavy metals should be preferentially used for tree protection.     

祁连山东部森林林分结构和环境因素对草本物种多样性的影响

林下草本物种多样性在维持西北干旱与半干旱地区的生态系统服务功能方面起着重要作用,探究其相关影响因素,可为祁连山东部地区的人工生态公益林的可持续经营提供理论基础。选取位于祁连山东部地区的针叶纯林、阔叶纯林、针叶混交林、针阔混交林(人工林)为研究对象,在相关性分析的基础上构建草本物种多样性的多因素参数预测模型和结构方程非参效应模型,探究多重因素(林分空间结构、林分非空间结构、环境因子)间的关系以及对林下草本物种多样性的影响程度。结果表明:(1)针阔混交林中林下草本的科、属、种数量最多。(2)平均胸径、平均树高、角尺度、混交度、大小比、坡度与草本物种多样性呈显著性相关(P<0.05)。(3)平均胸径是影响林下草本Simpson多样性指数的关键因子;坡度是影响林下草本Shannon-Wiener多样性指数的关键因子;角尺度、混交度是影响Pielou均匀性指数的关键因子;平均胸径、平均树高是影响物种丰富度的关键因子。(4)结构方程非参效应模型显示林分结构是影响草本物种多样性的关键因子(P<0.001),环境因子是影响草本物种多样性的重要因子(P<0.05)。因此,在后续森林植被恢复措施中,应当着重考虑林分的空间结构,形成随机分布的异龄复层混交林,以增加光合利用效率并遵循生态位互补理论,从而提高草本多样性。     

树种多样性和土壤微生物多样性对人工林生产力的影响

林分生产力通常会随着树种多样性增加而增加,但不同营养级生物多样性以及树种和土壤微生物多样性之间的相互作用如何影响生产力目前尚不清楚。以亚热带不同丰富度和树种组成的人工林为研究对象,从物种、功能性状、遗传三个维度的树种多样性以及土壤真菌和细菌系统发育多样性,探究了中国亚热带人工林树种多样性和土壤微生物多样性对林分生产力的影响。研究发现,林分生产力随树种功能多样性(FD)(P<0.001)、比叶面积群落加权均值(CWM-SLA)(P<0.01)、树种系统发育多样性(PD)(P<0.05)和土壤真菌多样性(PDF)(P<0.01)的增加而显著增加,分别解释了林分生产力总变异的12.86%、6.80%、3.67%和3.08%。FD和CWM-SLA可分别通过增加土壤真菌、细菌多样性而间接提高林分生产力。研究结果表明多营养级生物多样性是维持高水平林分生产力的基础,树种多样性和土壤微生物多样性之间的自上而下的级联效应在调节生态系统生产力方面发挥着重要作用。     

Structural and taxonomic diversity predict above-ground biomass better than functional measures of maximum height in mixed-species forests

Aims: Mixed-species forests are known to be highly productive systems because of their high species diversity, including taxonomic diversity (species richness) and structural diversity. Recent empirical evidence also points to plant maximum height, as a functional trait that potentially drives forest above-ground biomass (AGB). However, the interrelations between these biotic variables are complex, and it is not always predictable if structural diversity attributes or functional metrics of plant maximum height would act as the most important determinant of stand biomass. Here we evaluated the relative importance of structural diversity attributes and functional metrics of plant maximum height (Hmax) in predicting and mediating AGB response to variation in species richness in mixed-species forests, while also accounting for fine-scale environmental variation. Location: Northern Benin. Methods: We used forest inventory data from mixed-species stands of native and exotic species. We quantified structural diversity as coefficient of variation of tree diameter at breast height (CVdbh) and of height (CVHt). For plant Hmax, we computed three metrics: functional range (FRHmax), functional divergence (FDHmax) and community-weighted mean (CWMHmax). We used topographical variables such as elevation and slope to account for possible environmental effects. Simple and multiple mixed-effects models, and structural equation models were performed to assess the direct and indirect links of AGB with species richness through structural diversity attributes and functional metrics of plant Hmax. Results: Species richness and CVdbh were positively related to AGB, while functional metrics of plant Hmax were not. Structural equation models revealed that species richness influenced AGB indirectly via CVdbh, which alone strongly promoted AGB. Elevation only had a positive direct effect on AGB. While increasing species richness enhanced CVdbh and functional measures of plant Hmax, there was no support for the latter mediating the effects of species richness on AGB. Conclusion: Structural diversity has a significant advantage in predicting and mediating the positive effect of species richness on AGB more so than functional measures of plant Hmax. We argue that structural diversity acts as a mechanism for the species richness–AGB relationship, and that maintaining high structural diversity would enhance biomass in mixed-species forests.     

Tree diversity promotes predatory wasps and parasitoids but not pollinator bees in a subtropical experimental forest

From regional to global scales, anthropogenic environmental change is causing biodiversity loss and reducing ecosystem functionality. Previous studies have investigated the relationship between plant diversity and functional insect communities in temperate and also in tropical grasslands and forests. However, few studies have explored these dynamics in subtropical forests. Here, cavity-nesting Hymenoptera and associated parasitoids were collected across a controlled tree diversity experiment in subtropical China to test how predatory wasps, bees and parasitoids respond to tree species richness. Abundance and species richness of predatory wasps and parasitoids were positively correlated with tree species richness, while bee abundance and bee species richness were unrelated to tree species richness. Our results indicate that tree species richness increases the abundance and species richness of important communities such as predators and parasitoids. Moreover, the results highlight the importance of subtropical forests in maintaining abundance and species richness of key functional insect groups.     

Tree diversity and species identity effects on soil fungi,protists and animals are context dependent

Plant species richness and the presence of certain influential species (sampling effect) drive the stability and functionality of ecosystems as well as primary production and biomass of consumers. However, little is known about these floristic effects on richness and community composition of soil biota in forest habitats owing to methodological constraints. We developed a DNA metabarcoding approach to identify the major eukaryote groups directly from soil with roughly species-level resolution. Using this method, we examined the effects of tree diversity and individual tree species on soil microbial biomass and taxonomic richness of soil biota in two experimental study systems in Finland and Estonia and accounted for edaphic variables and spatial autocorrelation. Our analyses revealed that the effects of tree diversity and individual species on soil biota are largely context dependent. Multiple regression and structural equation modelling suggested that biomass, soil pH, nutrients and tree species directly affect richness of different taxonomic groups. The community composition of most soil organisms was strongly correlated due to similar response to environmental predictors rather than causal relationships. On a local scale, soil resources and tree species have stronger effect on diversity of soil biota than tree species richness per se.     

Latitude,tree species diversity and the metabolic theory of ecology

The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) has been known for over a century, but its origin remains poorly understood. Because both latitude and species richness are broadly related to temperature, environmental temperature has been proposed as a driver of the LDG. Recently, Wang et al. (2009, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 106 ,13388–13392) used datasets compiled from tree distributions in eastern Asia and North America to compare the species richness?temperature relationship between the two regions at several spatial scales and framed their analyses in the context of the metabolic theory of ecology. Here, we show that their datasets lack comparability between eastern Asia and North America and that some aspects of their analyses probably biased their results, casting doubt on some of their conclusions.     

Tree diversity promotes predator but not omnivore ants in a subtropical Chinese forest

1. Epigeic ants are functionally important arthropods in tropical and subtropical forests, particularly by acting as predators. High predation pressure has been hypothesised to be a mechanism facilitating high diversity across trophic levels. 2. In this study, standardised pitfall traps were used in a highly diverse subtropical forest to test if and how ant species richness is related to tree species richness and a comprehensive set of other environmental variables such as successional age, soil properties or elevation. 3. A total of 13 441 ant individuals belonging to 3839 species occurrences and 71 species were collected, of which 26 species were exclusive predators and 45 species were omnivores. 4. Occurrence and species richness of total and omnivore ants were positively related to soil pH. Predator ant occurrence was unrelated to all environmental variables tested. 5. The species richness of predator ants increased with tree species richness but decreased with leaf functional diversity and shrub cover. Elevation negatively influenced only total ant species richness. 6. The evenness of predators increased with tree species richness, while the evenness of all ants decreased with shrub cover. Omnivore ant evenness decreased with tree evenness, but increased with successional age. 7. The results highlight the value of diverse forests in maintaining species richness and community evenness of a functionally important predator group. Moreover, the results stress the importance of analysing trophic groups separately when investigating biodiversity effects.     

Reprint of: Tree diversity promotes predatory wasps and parasitoids but not pollinator bees in a subtropical experimental forest

From regional to global scales, anthropogenic environmental change is causing biodiversity loss and reducing ecosystem functionality. Previous studies have investigated the relationship between plant diversity and functional insect communities in temperate and also in tropical grasslands and forests. However, few studies have explored these dynamics in subtropical forests. Here, cavity-nesting Hymenoptera and associated parasitoids were collected across a controlled tree diversity experiment in subtropical China to test how predatory wasps, bees and parasitoids respond to tree species richness. Abundance and species richness of predatory wasps and parasitoids were positively correlated with tree species richness, while bee abundance and bee species richness were unrelated to tree species richness. Our results indicate that tree species richness increases the abundance and species richness of important communities such as predators and parasitoids. Moreover, the results highlight the importance of subtropical forests in maintaining abundance and species richness of key functional insect groups.     

黄土高原马栏林区基于不同植被组织尺度的群落物种多样性

物种多样性格局随着时空尺度的变化而变化, 同时也与植被组织尺度的变化密切相关, 基于多组织尺度的研究能更好地揭示一个地区的物种多样性规律。在应用数量分类(TWINSPAN)和主成分分析法(PCA)确定黄土高原马栏林区不同组织尺度的群落类型及其相互关系的基础上, 采用加性分配法分析该区域物种多样性与植被型、群系和群丛3种植被组织尺度之间的关系, 结果表明: (1) 区域物种多样性(γ)可加性分配分为群丛内(α₁)、群丛间(β₁)、群系间(β₂)和植被型间(β₃) 4个多样性成分, 无论用物种丰富度指数还是Shannon-Wiener多样性或Simpson多样性指数, 乔木、灌木和草本植物的最大物种多样性都存在于群丛内(草本层的物种丰富度除外), 说明群丛尺度是度量该区物种多样性的最佳尺度。(2)植被型、群系和群丛3种组织尺度的Shannon-Wiener多样性百分比均大于Simpson多样性百分比, 说明稀有种的分布对马栏林区各植被组织尺度的物种多样性格局起主要作用。(3)各尺度间的β多样性大小顺序在乔木、灌木、草本植物3层以不同多样性指数表示时各不相同, 这与乔木、灌木、草本植物3层的物种组成和分布, 以及主导不同植被组织尺度的物种多样性的因素差异有密切联系。     

Inferring relationships between native plant diversity and Lonicera japonica in upland forests in north Mississippi,USA

Question: Do anthropogenic disturbances interact with local environmental factors to increase the abundance and frequency of invasive species, which in turn exerts a negative effect on native biodiversity? Location: Mature Quercus‐Carya and Quercus‐Carya‐Pinus (oak‐hickory‐pine) forests in north Mississippi, USA. Methods: We used partial correlation and factor analysis to investigate relationships between native ground cover plant species richness and composition, percent cover of Lonicera japonica, and local and landscape‐level environmental variables and disturbance patterns in mature upland forests. We directly measured vegetation and environmental variables within 34 sampling subplots and quantified the amount of tree cover surrounding our plots using digital color aerial photography. Results: Simple bivariate correlations revealed that high species richness and a high proportion of herbs were associated with low Lonicera japonica cover, moist and sandy uncompacted soils, low disturbance in the surrounding landscape, and periodic prescribed burning. Partial correlations and factor analysis showed that once we accounted for the environmental factors, L japonica cover was the least important predictor of composition and among the least important predictors of species richness. Hence, much of the negative correlation between native species diversity and this invasive species was explained by soil texture and local and landscape‐level land‐use practices. Conclusions: We conclude that negative correlations between the abundance of invasive species and native plant diversity can occur in landscapes with a gradient of human disturbance, regardless of whether there is any negative effect of invasive species on native species.     

Effects of tree species diversity and genotypic diversity on leafminers and parasitoids in a tropical forest plantation

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Lichen diversity and red-listed lichen species relationships with tree species and diameter in wooded meadows

This study provides a unique large dataset of total epiphytic lichen diversity (fruticose, foliose and crustose species) and composition on 1,294 trees of 17 tree species in wooded meadows in Sweden and Estonia, the Baltic region. The inventory (25,380 observations and 246 lichen taxa) clearly illustrated that Ulmus minor, Quercus robur and Fraxinus excelsior contributed most significantly to epiphytic lichen richness and number of red-listed species. In Sweden, average single tree α richness was 22.2 on Ulmus (only in Sweden), 21.6 on Quercus (25.0 in Estonia) and 19.8 on Fraxinus (16.7 in Estonia), respectively. Ulmus hosted on average one red-listed species per tree, compared with 0.7 on Fraxinus (0.6 in Estonia), 0.4 on Quercus (0.7 in Estonia) and only 0.05 on Betula (same in Estonia). Lichen species composition and the average number of red-listed lichens were influenced by tree diameter on Fraxinus and Quercus, whilst no such pattern was evident on Ulmus. Randomized species accumulation curves of the dominating tree species illustrated that Fraxinus, Quercus and Ulmus supported α dominated lichen communities where individual trees hosted a substantial part of the total richness. Betula, on the other hand, supported β dominated communities where individual trees tended to be dissimilar and, therefore, more of the total richness existed as species turnover among host trees. Lichen species composition was influenced by tree species, and most notably, lichen species on Ulmus had a strong consistent clumping in ordination graphs, with many rare and red-listed lichens. The broadleaved deciduous trees within the wooded meadows clearly contribute greatly to the biodiversity of the Baltic region.     

Contrasting effects of tree diversity on young tree growth and resistance to insect herbivores across three biodiversity experiments

Tree diversity is an important driver of forest ecosystem functioning, hypothesised to enhance tree growth and resistance to herbivores. To test this, we assessed the relative importance of tree species richness and functional diversity on tree height growth and insect herbivore damage across three tree diversity experiments in Finland, France and Germany, established within the last fifteen years. These experiments encompass species richness gradients from monocultures up to five species mixtures, with compositions drawn from a pool of eleven tree species. Tree height growth and total insect herbivory were evaluated at both the tree species and forest plot scales. Trees in mixtures tended to grow taller, but on average received more insect herbivory relative to monocultures. Gradients of tree species richness or functional diversity had only weak impact on the magnitude of these effects. Community weighted means of specific leaf area alone captured diversity effects on tree height growth, with stronger positive effects of diversity in mixtures with high community SLA. Tree species‐specific responses were highly variable. No species significantly benefited both in terms of increased growth and reduced herbivory when grown in mixtures. More species showed positive height growth responses in mixed assemblages, but only the two exotic conifers experienced associational resistance to herbivores. This large‐scale study shows that tree height growth in young forest plantations tends to be higher in species mixtures than in monocultures, but incremental increases in functional diversity have, at best, weak marginal growth benefits. Moreover, there appear to be contrasting effects at forest plot versus individual species scales. Thus, while some species show lower herbivore damage in mixtures, this is not a consistent trend and contrasts the higher overall damage in mixtures observed at the forest plot scale. To improve both tree growth and resistance to herbivores in tree species mixtures seems therefore challenging.     

Riverscape-level patterns of riparian plant diversity along a successional gradient, Willamette river, Oregon

Riparian forest communities dominated by Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa L. (Torr. and Gray ex Hook.) Brayshaw are important contributors to biodiversity in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of the Western United States. Species composition along a successional gradient from stand initiation to late-succession of P. balsamifera-dominated riparian forests was investigated along 145 km of the Willamette River, Oregon. There were 151 total species encountered across 28 stands and a mean species richness of 33.3 species per stand. Young stands were dominated by P. balsamifera and Salix tree spp. and opportunistic herbaceous species. Understory trees, shrubs, and herbaceous species as well as late-successional tree species established 12–15 years after stand initiation. Fraxinus latifolia Benth. was the dominant late-successional tree species. Vertical structural diversity, P. balsamifera mean diameter at breast height, large tree biomass, and stand age were strongly correlated with understory species presence and abundance based on non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) ordination. There were no young stands on mid and high terraces and this was reflected in geomorphic position being strongly correlated with the stand age gradient. Abundance of Phalaris arundinacea L. an invasive grass species, was also significantly correlated with plant species composition and abundance. This study indicates that Willamette River riparian forests are diverse and therefore important to the biodiversity of the Willamette River valley and that their presence as a mosaic of communities of different successional stages may be threatened by human interventions, including influences exerted by introduced plant species.     

Factors affecting species richness of tree regeneration in mixed‐wood stands of central Maine

Question: Two questions about within‐stand spatial variability are addressed in this paper. How does species richness of tree regeneration respond to small‐scale ecological gradients, and what effect does natural Abies balsamea abundance have on the species richness of other tree regeneration? Location: A long‐term, gap‐silviculture experiment, Acadian mixed‐wood forest, Maine, USA. Methods: Eight stands treated with and without gap harvesting were sampled to capture sub‐stand heterogeneity of understorey tree regeneration concurrently with patterning of local stand conditions. Spatial and non‐spatial models were developed to test the relationships between two response variables [species richness of small (height ≥0.1 m, but <0.75 m) and large (height ≥0.75 m, but <1.4 m) regeneration] and five explanatory variables (depth to water table, percentage canopy transmittance, A. balsamea regeneration density, and overstorey basal area and species richness). Results: Despite high unexplained variance for all models, consistent associations among variables were found. Negative associations were found between: (1) the species richness of small regeneration and A. balsamea regeneration density and (2) the species richness of large regeneration and overstorey basal area. Positive associations were found between: (1) the species richness of small regeneration and both overstorey basal area and species richness and (2) the species richness of small and large regeneration and canopy transmittance. Conclusions: Promoting tree species diversity in Acadian mixed‐wood stands may not be achievable through the use of gap‐harvesting alone if the density of understorey Abies balsamea is not reduced either naturally or through silvicultural intervention.     

Plant communities and landscape diversity along a Canadian Arctic river

Abstract. We analysed the structure and diversity of the vegetation along an Arctic river to determine the relationship between species richness and plant community structure. We examined whether variation in species richness along the corridor is structured as (1) an increase in the number of communities due to increasing landscape heterogeneity, (2) an increase in the floristic distinctiveness (β-diversity) of communities, or (3) an increase in within-community richness (α-diversity) as species-poor communities are replaced by species-rich communities. We described 24 community types and analysed the relationship between site vascular species richness (γ-diversity) and β-diversity, α-diversity, site environmental heterogeneity, and the number of distinct plant communities. We also measured diversity patterns of vascular, bryophyte, and lichen species within communities and examined their relationship to community-level estimates of environmental factors. We found that an increase in site species richness correlated with an increase in the number of communities (r²= 0.323, P= 0.0173) and β-diversity (r²= 0.388, P= 0.0075), rather than an increase in the α-diversity of individual communities. Moisture and pH controlled most of the differences in composition between communities. Measures of species richness and correlations with moisture and pH within communities differed among vascular, bryophyte, and lichen species. Bryophyte richness was positively correlated with moisture (r²= 0.862, P= 0.0010) and lichen richness was negatively correlated with moisture (r²= 0.809, P= 0.0031). Vascular plants had a peak in richness at pH 6.5 (r²= 0.214, P < 0.0001). We conclude that site variation in vascular richness in this region is controlled by landscape heterogeneity, and structured as variation in the number and distinctiveness of recognizable plant communities.     

Tree diversity drives diversity of arthropod herbivores,but successional stage mediates detritivores

The high tree diversity of subtropical forests is linked to the biodiversity of other trophic levels. Disentangling the effects of tree species richness and composition, forest age, and stand structure on higher trophic levels in a forest landscape is important for understanding the factors that promote biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Using a plot network spanning gradients of tree diversity and secondary succession in subtropical forest, we tested the effects of tree community characteristics (species richness and composition) and forest succession (stand age) on arthropod community characteristics (morphotype diversity, abundance and composition) of four arthropod functional groups. We posit that these gradients differentially affect the arthropod functional groups, which mediates the diversity, composition, and abundance of arthropods in subtropical forests. We found that herbivore richness was positively related to tree species richness. Furthermore, the composition of herbivore communities was associated with tree species composition. In contrast, detritivore richness and composition was associated with stand age instead of tree diversity. Predator and pollinator richness and abundance were not strongly related to either gradient, although positive trends with tree species richness were found for predators. The weaker effect of tree diversity on predators suggests a cascading diversity effect from trees to herbivores to predators. Our results suggest that arthropod diversity in a subtropical forest reflects the net outcome of complex interactions among variables associated with tree diversity and stand age. Despite this complexity, there are clear linkages between the overall richness and composition of tree and arthropod communities, in particular herbivores, demonstrating that these trophic levels directly impact each other.     

大兴安岭呼中地区3种林分的群落特征、物种多样性差异及其耦合关系

准确理解天然林林分群落特征及其与物种多样性耦合关系是提升天然林管理、达到多样性保护的关键。选择大兴安岭呼中地区典型落叶松林、杂木林、白桦落叶松林为研究对象,分别对乔木层、灌木层和草本层特征(高度、胸径、冠幅、盖度等)进行调查并计算丰富度指数、多样性指数和均匀度指数,旨在探究林分间差异及其耦合关系变化。结果表明:(1)乔木层的树高、枝下高表现出杂木林落叶松林白桦落叶松(P0.05);落叶松林的胸径比白桦落叶松林和杂木林的高出6%和11%;灌木层的高度、盖度、地径、冠幅和草本层多度、盖度、高度在森林类型间均未表现出显著差异。(2)3个森林类型的乔、灌、草丰富度指数R、Shannon-Wiener指数及Simpson指数均表现出杂木林最大,乔木层和草本层呈相同规律,即杂木林白桦落叶松林落叶松林,而灌木层表现出杂木林落叶松林白桦落叶松林;白桦落叶松林和杂木林的乔木层均匀度Pielou指数和Alatalo指数约为落叶松林的3倍左右,而在灌木层和草本层在森林类型间差异不显著(P0.05)。(3)典范对应分析(CCA)结果表明林分群落特征和生物多样性关系存在明显森林类型间差异。总体表现为灌木特征(冠幅、地径)、草本层特征(盖度、多度和高度)对多样性均有较大影响;白桦落叶松林和杂木林的胸径对多样性影响明显,而落叶松林的乔木高度(树高、枝下高)对多样性影响较大。杂木林随着灌木盖度、草本高度的增加,草本物种多样性降低、乔木多和灌木物种多样性增加;而落叶松林相同的多样性变化多伴随草本高度增加、多度和盖度变小。灌木层物种多样性增加多与乔木和草本物种多样性降低相伴随,在杂木林中同时伴随着乔木胸径和草本的盖度、多度增大、灌木冠幅变小,而白桦落叶松林则伴随灌木冠幅和草本多度盖度的减小。以上结果表明,林分群落特征与物种多样性存在耦合关系,上述解耦合结果为通过维持良好森林结构、多样性保护具有实践意义。