RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Reconciling biodiversity and carbon stock conservation in an Afrotropical forest landscape JF Science Advances JO Sci Adv FD American Association for the Advancement of Science SP eaar6603 DO 10.1126/sciadv.aar6603 VO 4 IS 3 A1 Van de Perre, Frederik A1 Willig, Michael R. A1 Presley, Steven J. A1 Bapeamoni Andemwana, Frank A1 Beeckman, Hans A1 Boeckx, Pascal A1 Cooleman, Stijn A1 de Haan, Myriam A1 De Kesel, André A1 Dessein, Steven A1 Grootaert, Patrick A1 Huygens, Dries A1 Janssens, Steven B. A1 Kearsley, Elizabeth A1 Kabeya, Patrick Mutombo A1 Leponce, Maurice A1 Van den Broeck, Dries A1 Verbeeck, Hans A1 Würsten, Bart A1 Leirs, Herwig A1 Verheyen, Erik YR 2018 UL http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/3/eaar6603.abstract AB Protecting aboveground carbon stocks in tropical forests is essential for mitigating global climate change and is assumed to simultaneously conserve biodiversity. Although the relationship between tree diversity and carbon stocks is generally positive, the relationship remains unclear for consumers or decomposers. We assessed this relationship for multiple trophic levels across the tree of life (10 organismal groups, 3 kingdoms) in lowland rainforests of the Congo Basin. Comparisons across regrowth and old-growth forests evinced the expected positive relationship for trees, but not for other organismal groups. Moreover, differences in species composition between forests increased with difference in carbon stock. These variable associations across the tree of life contradict the implicit assumption that maximum co-benefits to biodiversity are associated with conservation of forests with the highest carbon storage. Initiatives targeting climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation should include both old-growth and regenerating forests to optimally benefit biodiversity and carbon storage.