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Editorial

The Relationship Between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function

by
Shuai Ouyang
1,2,* and
Pifeng Lei
2
1
School Ecology and Environment, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
2
Huitong National Station for Scientific Observation and Research of Chinese Fir Plantation Ecosystems in Hunan Province, Huaihua 438107, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Forests 2026, 17(2), 190; https://doi.org/10.3390/f17020190 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 26 January 2026 / Revised: 27 January 2026 / Accepted: 29 January 2026 / Published: 31 January 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Relationship between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function)
Versions Notes
This Special Issue brings together recent studies that advance our understanding of how forest biodiversity regulates ecosystem functions under ongoing global change. Forest ecosystems are inherently heterogeneous, characterized by complex species interactions and multiscale structural organization. However, how different dimensions of biodiversity—ranging from taxonomic, functional, phylogenetic, and structural diversity aboveground to microbial diversity belowground—collectively influence ecosystem functioning remains incompletely understood.
The contributions to this Special Issue demonstrate that biodiversity–ecosystem function relationships are highly context-dependent and strongly mediated by environmental drivers such as forest type, stand age, nutrient availability, climate, and land-use change. Several studies reveal the ways in which tree species diversity and composition regulate forest productivity, aboveground carbon accumulation, and biomass–biodiversity relationships across subtropical forest types and developmental stages [1,2]. At the belowground level, multiple contributions highlight the key role of soil microbial communities and nutrient-related processes in mediating ecosystem functioning, particularly in response to nutrient additions, vegetation restoration, and urbanization pressures [3,4,5,6].
In addition, species distribution modeling and regional biodiversity assessments provide important insights into how climatic and environmental filtering shape the spatial patterns of forest biodiversity and habitat suitability for threatened tree species, thereby influencing ecosystem functions at broader scales [7,8,9].
Together, the studies in this Special Issue underscore the importance of maintaining multitrophic biodiversity for sustaining forest ecosystem multifunctionality and resilience. By integrating above- and belowground perspectives and combining field observations, experiments, and modeling approaches, this Special Issue contributes to a more mechanistic understanding of biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships and provides scientific support for biodiversity conservation and sustainable forest management under global change.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

  1. Xu, W.; Zhou, P.; González-Rodríguez, M.; Tan, Z.; Li, Z.; Yan, P. Changes in Relationship between Forest Biomass Productivity and Biodiversity of Different Type Subtropical Forests in Southern China. Forests 2024, 15, 410. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  2. Wang, G.; Xie, B.; Lv, Y.; Yin, J.; Zhou, Y.; Xu, L.; Shi, Y. Interaction Effect of Stand Age and Diversity on Aboveground Wood Carbon Accumulation in Subtropical Mixed Forests of Zhejiang Province, China. Forests 2023, 14, 262. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  3. Hu, Z.; Xiang, W. Inconsistent Responses of Rhizosphere Microbial Community Structure and Extracellular Enzyme Activity to Short-Term Nitrogen and Phosphorus Additions in Chinese Fir Plantations. Forests 2023, 14, 1532. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  4. Gao, D.; Zhang, N.; Liu, S.; Ning, C.; Wang, X.; Feng, S. Urbanization Imprint on Soil Bacterial Communities in Forests and Grasslands. Forests 2023, 14, 38. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  5. Yan, J.; Huang, X.; Su, X.; Zhang, W.; Gao, G.; You, Y. Introducing N2-Fixing Tree Species into Eucalyptus Plantations Alleviated Carbon and Nitrogen Constraints within Soil Aggregates. Forests 2022, 13, 2102. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  6. Su, X.; Gao, G.; Huang, X.; Wang, Y.; Zhang, W.; Yan, J.; Shen, W.; You, Y. Vegetation Restoration with Mixed N2-Fixer Tree Species Alleviates Microbial C and N Limitation in Karst Forest Soils. Forests 2022, 13, 1701. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  7. Xie, C.; Chen, L.; Li, M.; Jim, C.; Liu, D. BIOCLIM Modeling for Predicting Suitable Habitat for Endangered Tree Tapiscia sinensis in China. Forests 2023, 14, 2275. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  8. Zhang, Q.; Shen, X.; Jiang, X.; Fan, T.; Liang, X.; Yan, W. MaxEnt Modeling for Predicting Suitable Habitat for Endangered Tree Keteleeria davidiana in China. Forests 2023, 14, 394. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  9. Deng, N.; Song, Q.; Ma, F.; Tian, Y. Patterns and Driving Factors of Shrub Community Diversity in Central and Southern China. Forests 2022, 13, 1090. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
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MDPI and ACS Style

Ouyang, S.; Lei, P. The Relationship Between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function. Forests 2026, 17, 190. https://doi.org/10.3390/f17020190

AMA Style

Ouyang S, Lei P. The Relationship Between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function. Forests. 2026; 17(2):190. https://doi.org/10.3390/f17020190

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ouyang, Shuai, and Pifeng Lei. 2026. "The Relationship Between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function" Forests 17, no. 2: 190. https://doi.org/10.3390/f17020190

APA Style

Ouyang, S., & Lei, P. (2026). The Relationship Between Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function. Forests, 17(2), 190. https://doi.org/10.3390/f17020190

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