Biomass is the main driver of changes in ecosystem process rates during tropical forest succession

This research paper examines the drivers of ecosystem process recovery in wet tropical forests of Mexico following shifting cultivation, concluding that aboveground biomass is the primary driver of changes in biomass productivity, litter productivity, and litter decomposition.

• In wet tropical forests of Mexico recovering from shifting cultivation, aboveground biomass was identified as the strongest driver for all analyzed ecosystem processes, including biomass productivity, litter productivity, actual litter decomposition, and potential litter decomposition.
• The relationship between standing vegetation biomass and specific processes varied: biomass productivity, leaf litter productivity, and actual litter decomposition increased with initial standing vegetation biomass, while potential litter decomposition decreased.
• While functional diversity and community-weighted means (vegetation quality) had some effects—such as specific leaf area positively affecting biomass productivity and functional divergence positively affecting potential decomposition—they were of secondary importance compared to the amount of vegetation (vegetation quantity).

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (2025). Biomass is the main driver of changes in ecosystem process rates during tropical forest succession. https://iai.int/es/pub_acad/biomass-in-the-main-driver-of-changes-in-ecosystem-process-rates-during-tropical-forest-succession/

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. Biomass is the main driver of changes in ecosystem process rates during tropical forest succession. 2025. https://iai.int/es/pub_acad/biomass-in-the-main-driver-of-changes-in-ecosystem-process-rates-during-tropical-forest-succession/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=Biomass is the main driver of changes in ecosystem process rates during tropical forest succession |date=15 January 2025 |url=https://iai.int/es/pub_acad/biomass-in-the-main-driver-of-changes-in-ecosystem-process-rates-during-tropical-forest-succession/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearch2025biomass, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{Biomass is the main driver of changes in ecosystem process rates during tropical forest succession}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2025}, month = jan, url = {https://iai.int/es/pub_acad/biomass-in-the-main-driver-of-changes-in-ecosystem-process-rates-during-tropical-forest-succession/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }