Widespread slow growth of acquisitive tree species

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Augusto, L.; Borelle, R.; Boca, A.; Bon, L.; Orazio, C.; Arias-Gonzalez, A.; Bakker, M. R.; Gartzia-Bengoetxea, N.; Auge, H.; Bernier, F.; Cantero, A.; Cavender-Bares, J.; Correia, A. H.; De Schrijver, A.; Diez-Casero, J. J.; Eisenhauer, N.; Fotelli, M. N.; Gateble, G.; Godbold, D. L.; Gomes-Caetano-Ferreira, M.; Gundale, M. J.; Jactel, H.; Koricheva, J.; Larsson, M.; Laudicina, V. A.; Legout, A.; Martin-Garcia, J.; Mason, W. L.; Meredieu, C.; Mereu, S.; Montgomery, R. A.; Musch, B.; Muys, B.; Paillassa, E.; Paquette, A.; Parker, J. D.; Parker, W. C.; Ponette, Q.; Reynolds, C.; Rozados-Lorenzo, M. J.; Ruiz-Peinado, R.; Santesteban-Insausti, X.; Scherer-Lorenzen, M.; Silva-Pando, F. J.; Smolander, A.; Spyroglou, G.; Teixeira-Barcelos, E. B.; Vanguelova, E. I.; Verheyen, K.; Vesterdal, L.; Charru, M.
• 署名单位: INRAE; Latvia University of Life Sciences & Technologies; Helmholtz Association; Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research (UFZ); German Research Foundation (DFG); German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv); INRAE; Harvard University; Universidade de Lisboa; Centro de Estudos Florestais; HOGENT University College of Applied Sciences & Arts; Universidad de Valladolid; Leipzig University; INRAE; Mendel University in Brno; BOKU University; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; INRAE; Universite de Bordeaux; University of London; Royal Holloway University London; University of Palermo; Universite de Lorraine; INRAE; Universidad de Valladolid; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR); Istituto per la BioEconomia (IBE-CNR); INRAE; KU Leuven; KU Leuven; University of Quebec; University of Quebec Montreal; Smithsonian Institution; Smithsonian Environmental Research Center; Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry; Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC); University of Freiburg; Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke); Ghent University; University of Copenhagen
• 刊物名称: Nature
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0028-3425
• DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08692-x
• 发表日期: 2025-04-10
• 关键词: plant functional traits; shade-tolerance; mineral-nutrition; forest growth; leaf; climate; carbon; root; nitrogen; biomass

摘要

Trees are an important carbon sink as they accumulate biomass through photosynthesis1. Identifying tree species that grow fast is therefore commonly considered to be essential for effective climate change mitigation through forest planting. Although species characteristics are key information for plantation design and forest management, field studies often fail to detect clear relationships between species functional traits and tree growth2. Here, by consolidating four independent datasets and classifying the acquisitive and conservative species based on their functional trait values, we show that acquisitive tree species, which are supposedly fast-growing species, generally grow slowly in field conditions. This discrepancy between the current paradigm and field observations is explained by the interactions with environmental conditions that influence growth. Acquisitive species require moist mild climates and fertile soils, conditions that are generally not met in the field. By contrast, conservative species, which are supposedly slow-growing species, show generally higher realized growth due to their ability to tolerate unfavourable environmental conditions. In general, conservative tree species grow more steadily than acquisitive tree species in non-tropical forests. We recommend planting acquisitive tree species in areas where they can realize their fast-growing potential. In other regions, where environmental stress is higher, conservative tree species have a larger potential to fix carbon in their biomass.