Species mixing boosts root yield in mangrove trees
- PMID: 23073636
- DOI: 10.1007/s00442-012-2490-x
Species mixing boosts root yield in mangrove trees
Abstract
Enhanced species richness can stimulate the productivity of plant communities; however, its effect on the belowground production of forests has scarcely been tested, despite the role of tree roots in carbon storage and ecosystem processes. Therefore, we tested for the effects of tree species richness on mangrove root biomass: thirty-two 6 m by 6 m plots were planted with zero (control), one, two or three species treatments of six-month-old Avicennia marina (A), Bruguiera gymnorrhiza (B) and Ceriops tagal (C). A monoculture of each species and the four possible combinations of the three species were used, with four replicate plots per treatment. Above- and belowground biomass was measured after three and four years' growth. In both years, the all-species mix (ABC) had significant overyielding of roots, suggesting complementarity mediated by differences in rhizosphere use amongst species. In year four, there was higher belowground than aboveground biomass in all but one treatment. Belowground biomass was strongly influenced by the presence of the most vigorously growing species, A. marina. These results demonstrate the potential for complementarity between fast- and slow-growing species to enhance belowground growth in mangrove forests, with implications for forest productivity and the potential for belowground carbon sequestration.
Similar articles
-
[Vegetation carbon stocks and net primary productivity of the mangrove forests in Shenzhen, China.].Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao. 2016 Jul;27(7):2059-2065. doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.201607.029. Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao. 2016. PMID: 29737111 Chinese.
-
Aboveground overyielding in grassland mixtures is associated with reduced biomass partitioning to belowground organs.Ecology. 2009 Jun;90(6):1520-30. doi: 10.1890/08-0867.1. Ecology. 2009. PMID: 19569367
-
Dissolved iron supply limits early growth of estuarine mangroves.Ecology. 2010 Nov;91(11):3229-41. doi: 10.1890/09-2142.1. Ecology. 2010. PMID: 21141184
-
Belowground Microbiota and the Health of Tree Crops.Front Microbiol. 2018 Jun 5;9:1006. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01006. eCollection 2018. Front Microbiol. 2018. PMID: 29922245 Free PMC article. Review.
-
World aquaculture: environmental impacts and troubleshooting alternatives.ScientificWorldJournal. 2012;2012:389623. doi: 10.1100/2012/389623. Epub 2012 Apr 29. ScientificWorldJournal. 2012. PMID: 22649291 Free PMC article. Review.
Cited by
-
Differences in Fine-Root Biomass of Trees and Understory Vegetation among Stand Types in Subtropical Forests.PLoS One. 2015 Jun 5;10(6):e0128894. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128894. eCollection 2015. PLoS One. 2015. PMID: 26047358 Free PMC article.
-
Measuring the role of seagrasses in regulating sediment surface elevation.Sci Rep. 2017 Sep 20;7(1):11917. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-12354-y. Sci Rep. 2017. PMID: 28928433 Free PMC article.
-
Created mangrove wetlands store belowground carbon and surface elevation change enables them to adjust to sea-level rise.Sci Rep. 2017 Apr 21;7(1):1030. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-01224-2. Sci Rep. 2017. PMID: 28432292 Free PMC article.
-
Four decades of data indicate that planted mangroves stored up to 75% of the carbon stocks found in intact mature stands.Sci Adv. 2024 Jul 5;10(27):eadk5430. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adk5430. Epub 2024 Jul 5. Sci Adv. 2024. PMID: 38968357 Free PMC article.
References
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources