Relationships between tree species diversity and above-ground biomass in Central African rainforests: implications for REDD

• Published in: Environmental conservation Vol. 41; no. 1; pp. 64 - 72
• Main Authors: DAY, MICHAEL, BALDAUF, CRISTINA, RUTISHAUSER, ERVAN, SUNDERLAND, TERRY C. H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.03.2014
• Subjects: aboveground biomass; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Biological diversity; Biomass; carbon; Carbon sequestration; Climate change; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Deforestation; Degradation; ecosystems; emissions; Emissions control; Environmental impact; Forest conservation; Forestry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; General forest ecology; Generalities. Production, biomass. Quality of wood and forest products. General forest ecology; Land degradation; Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking; Plant diversity; Plant species; rain forests; Rainforests; Species diversity; Trees; Tropical forests; Wildlife conservation; Central Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Africa; biomass; species diversity; Central Africa; REDD; tropical forests; Deforestation; Species diversity; Epigeal; Tropical zone; Rain forest; Greenhouse gas; Tropical forest; Biomass; Environmental protection
• ISSN: 0376-8929; 1469-4387; 1469-4387
• DOI: 10.1017/S0376892913000295

Tropical forests are both important stores of carbon and among the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. Reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) schemes are designed to mitigate the impacts of climate change, by conserving tropical forests threatened by deforestation or degradation. REDD schemes also have the potential to contribute significantly to biodiversity conservation efforts within tropical forests, however biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration need to be aligned more closely for this potential to be realized. This paper analyses the relationship between tree species diversity and above-ground biomass (AGB) derived from 1-ha tree plots in Central African rainforests. There was a weakly significant correlation between tree biomass and tree species diversity (r = 0.21, p = 0.03), and a significantly higher mean species diversity in plots with larger AGB estimates (M = 44.38 species in the top eight plots, compared to M = 35.22 in the lower eight plots). In these Central African plots, the relationship between tree species diversity and AGB appeared to be highly variable; nonetheless, high species diversity may often be related to higher biomass and, in such cases, REDD schemes may enhance biodiversity by targeting species diverse forests.