A relatively small number of broad-scale patterns describe the distribution of biodiversity across the earth. All of them explore biodiversity focusing on a mono or bi-dimensional space. Conversely, the volume of the forests is rarely considered. In the present work, we tested a global correlation between vascular plant species richness (S) and average forest canopy height (H), the latter regarded as a proxy of volume, using the NASA product of Global Forest Canopy Height map and the global map of plant species diversity. We found a significant correlation between H and S both at global and macro-climate scales, with strongest confidence in the tropics. Hence, two different regression models were compared and discussed to provide a possible pattern of the H–S relation. We suggested that the volume of forest ecosystems should be considered in ecological studies as well as in planning and managing natural sites, although in this first attempt, we cannot definitively prove our hypothesis. Again, high-resolution spatial data could be highly important to confirm the H–S relation, even at different scales.

Exploring the relationship between canopy height and terrestrial plant diversity / Cazzolla Gatti R.; Di Paola A.; Bombelli A.; Noce S.; Valentini R.. - In: PLANT ECOLOGY. - ISSN 1385-0237. - ELETTRONICO. - 218:7(2017), pp. 899-908. [10.1007/s11258-017-0738-6]

Exploring the relationship between canopy height and terrestrial plant diversity

Cazzolla Gatti R.;Di Paola A.;
2017

Abstract

A relatively small number of broad-scale patterns describe the distribution of biodiversity across the earth. All of them explore biodiversity focusing on a mono or bi-dimensional space. Conversely, the volume of the forests is rarely considered. In the present work, we tested a global correlation between vascular plant species richness (S) and average forest canopy height (H), the latter regarded as a proxy of volume, using the NASA product of Global Forest Canopy Height map and the global map of plant species diversity. We found a significant correlation between H and S both at global and macro-climate scales, with strongest confidence in the tropics. Hence, two different regression models were compared and discussed to provide a possible pattern of the H–S relation. We suggested that the volume of forest ecosystems should be considered in ecological studies as well as in planning and managing natural sites, although in this first attempt, we cannot definitively prove our hypothesis. Again, high-resolution spatial data could be highly important to confirm the H–S relation, even at different scales.
2017
Exploring the relationship between canopy height and terrestrial plant diversity / Cazzolla Gatti R.; Di Paola A.; Bombelli A.; Noce S.; Valentini R.. - In: PLANT ECOLOGY. - ISSN 1385-0237. - ELETTRONICO. - 218:7(2017), pp. 899-908. [10.1007/s11258-017-0738-6]
Cazzolla Gatti R.; Di Paola A.; Bombelli A.; Noce S.; Valentini R.
File in questo prodotto:
Eventuali allegati, non sono esposti

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/868949
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo

Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 33
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 31
social impact