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.