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Evaluating Relationships Between Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions in Forests Using Forest Inventory and Allometry Data

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Integrative Observations and Assessments

Part of the book series: Ecological Research Monographs ((APBON))

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Abstract

Biodiversity loss may cause various changes in ecosystem functions of forests. This chapter presents methods and possibilities of evaluating biodiversity–ecosystem function relationships in forest ecosystems using forest inventory and allometry data. Although these data have been collected in plantations and natural forests all over the world, their use in biodiversity–ecosystem function studies is still limited. Inventory and allometry data provide various information such as productivity and carbon stock of forests, growth and demography of individual trees, tree size and mass distribution, horizontal and vertical structure of forests, and tree species composition of the local community and regional species pool. Such information is indispensable to understand the mechanisms of biodiversity effects on ecosystem functions, to predict the consequence of biodiversity loss by improving functional trait approaches toward more mechanistic and predictive paths, and to develop studies of biodiversity–ecosystem function that are relevant to conservation. Two new databases, a forest inventory database and an allometry database, and data papers will promote biodiversity–ecosystem function studies through enhanced data availability, especially in Asia where such studies are limited.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Kaichiro Sasa and Dr. Kentarou Takagi for permission for use of data, Mr. Masahiro Nagano and the late Mr. Masahito Nishioka for the provision of biomass data, Dr. Shin-ichiro Aiba for valuable information, and Mr. Takahiro Inoue and Mr. Hayato Aoyama for data collection. The study was supported by the Environmental Research and Technology Development Fund (S-9-3) of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Kita 9, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-0809, Japan

    Masae I. Ishihara

  2. Hokkaido Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Hitsujigaoka 7, Toyohira, Sapporo, 062-8516, Japan

    Hajime Utsugi

  3. Shikoku Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 2-915 Asakuranishimachi, Kochi, 780-8077, Japan

    Hiroyuki Tanouchi

  4. Tomakomai Research Station, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Takaoka, Tomakomai, 053-0035, Japan

    Tsutom Hiura

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  1. Masae I. Ishihara
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  2. Hajime Utsugi
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  3. Hiroyuki Tanouchi
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  4. Tsutom Hiura
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Correspondence to Masae I. Ishihara .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Otsu, Shiga, Japan

    Shin -ichi Nakano

  2. Department of Biology Center for Asian Conservation Ecology, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

    Tetsukazu Yahara

  3. Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

    Tohru Nakashizuka

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Ishihara, M.I., Utsugi, H., Tanouchi, H., Hiura, T. (2014). Evaluating Relationships Between Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions in Forests Using Forest Inventory and Allometry Data. In: Nakano, Si., Yahara, T., Nakashizuka, T. (eds) Integrative Observations and Assessments. Ecological Research Monographs(). Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54783-9_19

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