Influences of Structural and Species Diversity on Forest Resistance to Drought

Abstract

Biodiversity can enhance forest resistance to drought, but the forms of diversity involved and conditions under which diversity confers resistance remain unclear. We used Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) plot data to examine whether four variables—structural richness (variation in tree heights, stand density, canopy cover and/or spatial heterogeneity), species richness (number of tree species), structural evenness and species evenness—are associated with the resistance of net primary productivity to drought and whether these relationships change with drought severity and by ecoregion. Structural richness was positively associated and species evenness was negatively associated with resistance, but the strength of these relationships varied by ecoregion. Relationships between structural richness and resistance and between species evenness and resistance became stronger under more severe droughts, supporting the stress gradient hypothesis. Forest managers cannot readily change abiotic conditions but could increase structural richness and select certain species to enhance forest resistance to drought.

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