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Long-Term Monitoring of Forest Biodiversity and Dynamics in China

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A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 July 2022) | Viewed by 22605

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Xiangcheng Mi

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Guest Editor

State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
Interests: forest ecology; community ecology; species coexistence; vegetation structure; community assembly; community dynamics

Dr. Jie Yang

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Guest Editor

CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, China
Interests: forest ecology; community ecology; functional traits; vegetation structure; community assembly

Dr. Xiaoyang Song

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CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, China
Interests: forest ecology; community ecology; community dynamics; density dependence; community assembly

Dr. Yahuang Luo

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CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
Interests: forest ecology; community ecology; community dynamics; density dependence; community assembly

Dr. Yuanzhi Li

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Guest Editor

State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
Interests: forest ecology; community ecology;community dynamics; density dependence; community assembly

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forests harbor two thirds of terrestrial plant species and serve as a global carbon sink. Under the scenario of global climate change, however, have forests been experiencing pervasive shifts in structure and species composition? What are the consequences in biodiversity dynamics and ecosystem services? Forest dynamics occur as a result of demography (e.g., mortality, recruitment, and growth) influenced by environmental conditions and disturbances. The question of forest shifts and its consequences in biomass, functions, and ecosystem services could be answered via long-term monitoring. Forests obviously differ from region to region across the world; nevertheless, long-term biodiversity monitoring in China has the possibility to give us a comprehensive overview of forest change around the world due to the fact that China has most forest types across its latitude.

In this Special Issue, we would like to cover a variety of forests from temperate to tropical regions in Chinese Forest biodiversity Monitoring Networks (CForBio). We invite observational studies which explore mechanisms of community assembly, ecosystem functioning, and biodiversity dynamics from taxonomical, functional, and phylogenetic dimensions. In addition, studies modeling the relationships between impacts of projected climate scenarios and forest ecosystem characteristics are welcome. Articles in this Special Issue will contribute to understanding and predicting forest biodiversity change under climate change.

Dr. Xiangcheng Mi
Dr. Jie Yang
Dr. Xiaoyang Song
Dr. Yahuang Luo
Dr. Yuanzhi Li
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

forest structure
community assembly
biodiversity dynamics
functional traits

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 3803 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Topography on Radial Growth of Tree Species with Different Mycorrhizal Types

by Yunfei Diao, Su Zhang, Yulong Liu, Guangze Jin, Songyan Tian and Yankun Liu

Forests 2023, 14(3), 546; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14030546 - 10 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1202

Abstract

In the dynamic monitoring fixed sample plot of 25 ha of coniferous broad-leaved mixed forest in the temperate zone of Northeast China, we used the data from two surveys (2013 and 2018) and microtopography data of the sample plot, and the mycorrhizal type data of tree species to explore whether the different microtopography types and single terrain factors will affect the radial growth of tree species with different mycorrhizal types on a regional scale. We studied the adaptability of tree species with different mycorrhizal types in the north end of Changbai Mountain and the south slope of Laoyeling mountain, and which provided basis for further revealing the response mechanism of tree species with different mycorrhizal types to the microtopography in this area. We found that: the tree species with different mycorrhizal types have higher radial growth rates on gentle slopes than on steep slopes. Tree species on sunny slopes have higher growth rates and survival rates than tree species of the same mycorrhizal type on shady slopes. The quantity and radial growth of AM (Arbuscular mycorrhiza) type, EcM (Ectomycorrhiza) type, and ErM (Ericoid mycorrhiza) type tree species were significantly positively correlated with different microtopography types. The quantity and radial growth of AM type tree species and EcM type tree species were significantly positively correlated with slope. The quantity of AM type tree species, EcM type tree species and the radial growth of EcM type tree species were significantly negatively correlated with slope aspect. The quantity and radial growth of ErM type tree species and radial growth of EcM type tree species the were significantly positively correlated with slope position. We believe that the reasons for these conclusions may be caused by the differences in soil temperature, humidity, and water distribution caused by different slopes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Monitoring of Forest Biodiversity and Dynamics in China)

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13 pages, 4422 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Extreme Winter Storms Have Variable Effects on the Population Dynamics of Canopy Dominant Species in an Old-Growth Subtropical Forest

by Yidan Yang, Yanli Ji, Yunquan Wang, Jiajie Xie, Yi Jin, Xiangcheng Mi, Mingjian Yu, Haibao Ren, Keping Ma and Jianhua Chen

Forests 2022, 13(10), 1634; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13101634 - 06 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1439

Abstract

Extreme climatic events are predicted to increase in frequency and magnitude as global climate change continues. Extreme climatic events have profound impacts on community structure and dynamics, but their effects on the dominant species within a community remains unclear. To explore this issue, we analyzed changes in population dynamics and dead individuals’ spatial pattern for several dominant species (Castanopsis eyrei, Schima superba, Pinus massoniana, and Daphniphyllum oldhamii) among different habitats in a subtropical forest before and after a significant winter storm that occurred in February 2008. Using the Gutianshan 24-ha forest plot as a representative sample, we found that the plot-level DBH of P. massoniana and C. eyrei significantly increased after the winter storm, while the plot-level basal area of P. massoniana and S. superba decreased significantly. In addition, P. massoniana was most affected by the storm (mortality: 9.08%; population change rate: −8.93%), followed by C. eyrei (mortality: 6.93%; population change rate: −4.91%). Small-diameter individuals experienced higher mortality rates, but the diameter structure of the dominant species at the population level remained basically stable. The number of individuals, the density of the dominant population, the number of mortalities, and the mortality rate of the dominant species differed among habitats. The spatial point patterns of the dead individuals at each life stage were mainly aggregated in distribution, and the degree of aggregation tended to decrease with increasing scale. In conclusion, the population dynamics of dominant species were significantly altered following the winter storm, but the extent of the changes varied with species. Our study suggests that analyzing the dominant species of a community contributes to a better understanding of the biological response of forest ecosystems in the face of extreme climatic events. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Monitoring of Forest Biodiversity and Dynamics in China)

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14 pages, 2829 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Species Richness Promotes Productivity through Tree Crown Spatial Complementarity in a Species-Rich Natural Forest

by Yaozhan Xu, Han Y. H. Chen, Zhiqiang Xiao, Dan Wan, Feng Liu, Yili Guo, Xiujuan Qiao and Mingxi Jiang

Forests 2022, 13(10), 1604; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13101604 - 30 Sep 2022

Viewed by 1642

Abstract

Ecological theory suggests that species with complementary architectural and physiological traits can optimize crown packing to improve resource efficiency and promote ecosystem productivity in forest communities. However, empirical evidence of this prediction is rare in species-rich natural forests, as little is known about how crown spatial complementarity regulates community species richness-productivity relationship (SRPR). In this study, we measured tree architectural traits (stem diameter, height, crown depth and width) for 11,337 trees, and quantified species richness, functional diversity, crown spatial complementarity, soil fertility and forest productivity for 44 quadrats (20 m × 20 m per quadrat) in the Badagongshan 25 ha forest plot, central China. We tested bivariate correlations between species richness, crown complementarity, functional diversity and forest productivity. We employed linear mixed effects models to predict crown complementarity and examined its relationship with functional diversity. Finally, we applied structural equation modeling to quantify the mediation effects of crown complementarity on SRPRs. Species richness promoted crown complementarity and forest productivity. Crown complementarity varied across quadrats, with increases driven primarily by changes in tree height. Crown complementarity was positively related to functional diversity and forest productivity. Species richness increased with soil total phosphorus, while functional diversity decreased with soil bulk density. Forest productivity increased with soil organic carbon and total nitrogen, but decreased with bulk density. Crown complementarity partially mediated the positive effect of species richness on forest productivity, and the mediation effect was mainly through functional diversity. Our results suggest that the crown complementarity index accurately reflects the niche complementarity through light utilization and carbon reallocation. Our study emphasizes that species richness can promote crown complementarity, leading to greater forest productivity, which provides greater insight into the mechanical understanding of the SRPRs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Monitoring of Forest Biodiversity and Dynamics in China)

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21 pages, 3267 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Vertical Variation in Leaf Traits and Crown Structure Promote the Coexistence of Forest Tree Species

by Jiayi Feng, Juyu Lian, Qiming Mei, Honglin Cao and Wanhui Ye

Forests 2022, 13(10), 1548; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13101548 - 22 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1207

Abstract

Vertical stratification in trees may respond to selective pressures to enhance light interception and utilization; therefore, the vertical functional variation in leaf traits may indicate niche partitioning within forests. In this study, vertical variations in leaf and crown structure traits of seven common tree species were analysed with respect to differences between species in different height groups, within the same height range, in the same species across tree height, and different parts of the individual tree crown to reveal coexistence mechanisms in subtropical forest tree species. There were multiple levels of trait variation in the vertical dimension, validating the existence of vertical niche differentiation in subtropical forest species. The functional trait differences arose among different height groups, among species co-occurring within the same height range, in the same species across tree height, and among different parts of the individual tree crown. Variation in comparative advantages, which was characterised by those traits between species across different height ranges, was also one of the manifestations of niche differentiation in the vertical dimension. Moreover, contrasting results between lower height ranges and higher ranges in the relationship between species’ differences in functional traits and species’ difference of abundance were found, further confirming that there was obvious vertical niche separation in the community. This study emphasised the importance of vertical variation in species’ performances in elucidating the mechanisms of tree species coexistence in subtropical forests. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Monitoring of Forest Biodiversity and Dynamics in China)

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12 pages, 2540 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Habitat Conditions and Tree Species Shape Liana Distribution in a Subtropical Forest

by Buhang Li, Yingming Zhang, Fuchen Luan, Zuoqiang Yuan, Arshad Ali, Chengjin Chu and Yue Bin

Forests 2022, 13(9), 1358; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13091358 - 26 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1564

Abstract

Lianas are woody plants that require external support to reach the canopy. They are expanding in forests worldwide, possibly due to climate change and forest disturbance. Most studies on lianas have been conducted in tropical forests. Lianas are less explored in subtropical forests. We aimed to document the density and diversity of lianas, to test how habitat condition and the distribution of tree species affect the distributions of lianas based on data from a fully mapped 20 ha plot in subtropical China. We analyzed habitat association by fitting a generalized linear model with family-level liana abundance as response variable and family identity, and its interaction terms with topographic variables (slope, convexity, elevation, and sin(aspect)), as explanatory variables. We focused on the spatial associations of three liana species and 82 tree species with ≥100 individuals using the pair correlation function and redundancy analysis. We found a total of 1305 lianas, falling into 26 species, and 16 families, in the 20 ha plot. They accounted for 1.5% of individuals, 11.7% of species, and 0.4% of total basal area of woody plants in the plot. There were large variations in distributions of liana with respect to the four topographic variables among families, contrasting with former findings suggesting that lianas favor dry and hot habitats. The three most abundant liana species showed non-random associations with tree species, and they tended to positively associate with similar tree species but negatively associate with different tree species. The distribution of tree species explained 21.8% of variance in liana distribution. Our study suggested that both habitat conditions and tree composition intervene in determining liana distributions and that habitat heterogeneity may be a mechanism for liana diversity maintenance. Our study provides a basic understanding of liana diversity and distribution in this subtropical forest and contributes to future planning of liana studies and diversity conservation in subtropical forests under climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Monitoring of Forest Biodiversity and Dynamics in China)

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12 pages, 1939 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Habitat Type and Scale Dependences of Interspecific Associations in a Subtropical Evergreen Broad-Leaved Forest

by Changchun Jiang, Jiaqin Fu, Yunquan Wang, Pengtao Chai, Yidan Yang, Xiangcheng Mi, Mingjian Yu, Keping Ma and Jianhua Chen

Forests 2022, 13(8), 1334; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13081334 - 21 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1931

Abstract

“Interspecific associations” refers to the interrelationship among different species in a particular spatial distribution, which plays an important role in species distribution, community assembly, and responses to environmental changes. However, the strength and/or direction of interspecific associations may vary with environmental gradients and scales. To understand the effects of habitat types and research scales on interspecific associations in subtropical forests, we modeled the interspecific associations for more than 15,000 individuals representing 74 co-occurring species from three habitat types and three scales by using the variance ratio and the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. We found that overall interspecific associations at a community level exhibited significant positive associations for most habitat types and scales. Moreover, interspecific associations of pairwise species have strong habitat dependence, and the association strengths decreased with the increase in elevation (change in habitat types). However, the scale dependence of pairwise interspecific associations varies with habitat types. The strength of interspecific associations increased with the increasing scales (10 m × 10 m, 20 m × 20 m, and 40 m × 40 m) at low-valleys and mid-hillside habitats, while the scale-dependent effect was not detected at high-ridges. In conclusion, our study highlights the importance of environmental gradients and research scales on interspecific associations in diverse subtropical forests, and environmental gradients and research scales should be considered in future studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Monitoring of Forest Biodiversity and Dynamics in China)

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13 pages, 1879 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Whole-Plant Seedling Functional Traits Suggest Lianas Also Support “Fast-Slow” Plant Economics Spectrum

by Zhenhua Sun, Nujaree Prachanun, Arunkamon Sonsuthi, Wirong Chanthorn, Warren Y. Brockelman, Anuttara Nathalang, Luxiang Lin and Frans Bongers

Forests 2022, 13(7), 990; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13070990 - 24 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2034

Abstract

Lianas are predicted to perform better than trees during seasonal drought among tropical forests, which has substantial implications for tree and forest dynamics. Here, we use whole-plant trait comparison to test whether lianas allocated on the resource acquisitive end of the continuum of woody plant strategies. We measured morphological and biomass allocation traits for seedlings of 153 species of trees and lianas occurring in a tropical forest in Thailand during the dry season. We first compared trait differences between lianas and trees directly, and then classified all species based on their trait similarities. We found that liana seedlings had significantly higher specific leaf areas and specific stem lengths than co-occurring tree seedlings. Trait similarity classification resulted in a liana-dominated cluster and a tree-dominated cluster. Compared to the tree-dominated cluster, species in the liana-dominated cluster were characterized by a consistent pattern of lower dry matter content and cheaper and more efficient per dry mass unit investment in both above- and below-ground organs. The consistency of all organs operating in tandem for dry matter content, together with optimized investment in them per mass unit, implied that the lianas and trees can be highly overlapped on the strategy gradient of the resource acquisition continuum. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Monitoring of Forest Biodiversity and Dynamics in China)

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17 pages, 6534 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Functional Diversity and Its Influencing Factors in a Subtropical Forest Community in China

by Lin Li, Zhifeng Wen, Shiguang Wei, Juyu Lian and Wanhui Ye

Forests 2022, 13(7), 966; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13070966 - 21 Jun 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2009

Abstract

Functional diversity is considered a key link between ecosystem functions and biodiversity, and forms the basis for making community diversity conservation strategies. Here, we chose a subtropical forest community in China as the research object, which is unique in that other regions of the world at the same latitude have almost no vegetation cover. We measured 17 functional traits of 100 plant species and calculated seven different functional diversity indices, based on functional richness, evenness, and divergence. We found that most functional diversity and species diversity indices significantly differed with plant habit. There was a significant positive correlation among functional richness indices. However, functional divergence indices, multidimensional functional divergence (FDiv), and Rao’s quadratic entropy index (RaoQ) were significantly negatively correlated, and RaoQ and functional divergence indices (FDis) were uncorrelated. The correlations between three types (richness, evenness, and divergence) of functional diversity indices and three species diversity indices were different. Lineage regression results generally showed that three functional richness indices (Average distance of functional traits (MFAD), Functional volume (FRic) and Posteriori functional group richness (FGR)) were increased with three species diversity indices (species richness (S), Shannon-Wiener index (H) and Pielou index (E)). The functional evenness index (FEve) decreased with species richness (S), Shannon-Wiener index (H) and increased with species evenness (Pielou index (E)), but the change trends were small. All three types of functional diversity indices declined with altitude, although altitude had a weak influence on them. Other environmental factors affected the functional diversity of the community. Here, soil total phosphorus (TP) was the most critical environmental factor and the convex had the least effect on functional diversity in our subtropical forest community. These results will contribute to our understanding of functional diversity in subtropical forests, and provide a basis for biodiversity conservation in this region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Monitoring of Forest Biodiversity and Dynamics in China)

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11 pages, 1317 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Habitat Filtering on Tree Growth and Mortality across Life Stages in an Old-Growth Temperate Forest

by Daxiao Han and Guangze Jin

Forests 2022, 13(6), 923; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13060923 - 13 Jun 2022

Viewed by 1529

Abstract

A demographic (growth and mortality) trade-off plays a central role in the assembly and dynamics of ecological communities and contributes to tree species’ coexistence. On the basis of field investigation data from the 2010 and 2015 censuses, we evaluated the degrees to which the relative growth rate (RGR) and mortality rate (MR) of saplings and large trees were related to habitat filtering for temperate tree species from a 9 ha forest dynamics plot. The results showed that the relationship between RGR and MR was stronger in saplings than that in large trees. In saplings, the total P (TP) and organic C (OC) of the soil had a significantly positive correlation with RGR. In large trees, volumetric water content had a significantly negative correlation with RGR. In saplings, the bulk density and available P had a significantly positive correlation with MR. In large trees, MR showed a significantly negative correlation with aspect and a significantly positive correlation with TP and OC. Principal component analysis showed that species–habitat association status significantly affected the demographic parameters. A linear regression analysis revealed that the process of habitat filtering contributed to the ontogenetic variation that controlled RGR and MR as the community transitioned from saplings to large trees. Moreover, water availability for large trees played a key role in this process in an old-growth temperate forest. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Monitoring of Forest Biodiversity and Dynamics in China)

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13 pages, 2960 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Functional Traits of Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata in Qinling Huangguan Forest Dynamics Plot: The Relative Importance of Plant Size and Habitat

by Jing Qiu, Anxia Han, Chunmei He, Xiaoxia Dai, Shihong Jia, Ying Luo, Zhanqing Hao and Qiulong Yin

Forests 2022, 13(6), 899; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13060899 - 09 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1632

Abstract

Variation in intraspecific functional traits is one of the important components of community variation, and has drawn the attention of researchers. Studying the variation of traits under different plant sizes and habitats helps to reveal the adaptation mechanism of plants. We explored intraspecific trait variations by focusing on the widespread species Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata in a 25 ha warm, temperate, deciduous broadleaved forest plot in the Qinling Mountains. We measured nine morphological and chemical traits for 90 individuals from different plant sizes and habitats. In addition, we evaluated the relative impact of plant size and environment on Q. aliena var. acuteserrata with multiple regression models. We found that plant size explained the most variance of traits. As plant size increased, the trees tended to have lower leaf nitrogen concentrations, lower leaf phosphorus concentrations, higher leaf carbon concentrations, higher leaf dry matter content (LDMC), and thinner leaves, indicating the transformation from rapid resource acquisition strategy to conservative resource-use strategy. Habitats could only explain the changes in chemical traits. Leaf carbon concentration was principally affected by topographical factors and was significant different among habitats. Leaf nitrogen concentration and LPC were significantly limited by soil N and P. In conclusion, shifts in size-dependent traits met the growth requirements of Q. aliena var. acutiserrata; the high tolerance traits associated with this tree species might elucidate important mechanisms for coping with changing environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Monitoring of Forest Biodiversity and Dynamics in China)

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15 pages, 3152 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Distribution and Species Association of Dominant Tree Species in Huangguan Plot of Qinling Mountains, China

by Chunmei He, Shihong Jia, Ying Luo, Zhanqing Hao and Qiulong Yin

Forests 2022, 13(6), 866; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13060866 - 31 May 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3079

Abstract

The spatial distribution pattern and population structure of trees are shaped by multiple processes, such as species characteristics, environmental factors, and intraspecific and interspecific interactions. Studying the spatial distribution patterns of species, species associations, and their relationships with environmental factors is conducive to uncovering the mechanisms of biodiversity maintenance and exploring the underlying ecological processes of community stability and succession. This study was conducted in a 25-ha Qinling Huangguan forest (warm-temperate, deciduous, broad-leaved) dynamic monitoring plot. We used univariate and bivariate g(r) functions of the point pattern analysis method to evaluate the spatial distribution patterns of dominant tree species within the community, and the intra- and interspecific associations among different life-history stages. Complete spatial randomness and heterogeneous Poisson were used to reveal the potential process of community construction. We also used Berman’s test to determine the effect of three topographic variables on the distribution of dominant species. The results indicated that all dominant species in this community showed small-scale aggregation distribution. When we excluded the influence of environmental heterogeneity, the degree of aggregation distribution of each dominant species tended to decrease, and the trees mainly showed random or uniform distribution. This showed that environmental heterogeneity significantly affects the spatial distribution of tree species. Dominant species mainly showed positive associations with one another among different life-history stages, while negative associations prevailed among different tree species. Furthermore, we found that the associations between species were characterized by interspecific competition. Berman’s test results under the assumption of complete spatial randomness showed that the distribution of each dominant species was mainly affected by slope and convexity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Monitoring of Forest Biodiversity and Dynamics in China)

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12 pages, 8927 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Shift from Energy to Water Limitation in Local Canopy Height from Temperate to Tropical Forests in China

by Bojian Wang, Shuai Fang, Yunyun Wang, Qinghua Guo, Tianyu Hu, Xiangcheng Mi, Luxiang Lin, Guangze Jin, David Anthony Coomes, Zuoqiang Yuan, Ji Ye, Xugao Wang, Fei Lin and Zhanqing Hao

Forests 2022, 13(5), 639; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13050639 - 20 Apr 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2040

Abstract

Canopy height greatly affects the biomass stock, carbon dynamics, and maintenance of biodiversity in forests. Previous research reported that the maximum forest canopy height (Hmax) at global and regional scales could be explained by variations in water or energy availability, that is, the water- or energy-related hypothesis. However, fundamental gaps remain in our understanding of how different drivers (i.e., water and energy) contribute to the Hmax at the local scale. In this study, we selected eight dynamic forest plots (20–30 ha) across a latitudinal gradient (from 21.6° N to 48.1° N) in China and measured the canopy structure using airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data. Based on the LiDAR point cloud data, we extracted the maximum tree height (Hmax) in a 20 × 20 m quadrat as a proxy for canopy height, and the topographic wetness index (TWI) and digital terrain model-derived insolation (DTMI) were calculated as proxies for water and energy conditions. We used a linear mixed model and spatial simultaneous autoregressive error model to quantify how TWI and DTMI contributed to variations in Hmax at the local scale. We found that the positive effect of TWI was stronger in subtropical and tropical forests, highlighting that water was the main factor that drives the canopy height pattern in these regions. In contrast, although the effects of DTMI can be both positive and negative, its relative contribution was higher in temperate forest plots than in other forest types, supporting the idea that energy input is more critical for Hmax in temperate forests. Overall, our study revealed the directional change from energy to water limitation from temperate to subtropical and tropical forests. Our findings can offer important insights into forest management, especially under global climate change in the Anthropocene. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Long-Term Monitoring of Forest Biodiversity and Dynamics in China)

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