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

The study finds that aboveground biomass is the dominant driver of changes in biomass productivity, litter productivity, and litter decomposition during tropical forest succession, outweighing the effects of functional diversity and community-weighted trait means.

• Aboveground biomass was identified as the strongest driver for all analyzed ecosystem processes during succession, including biomass productivity, litter productivity, actual litter decomposition, and potential litter decomposition.
• The relationship between biomass and process rates varied: biomass productivity, leaf litter productivity, and actual litter decomposition increased with initial standing vegetation biomass, while potential litter decomposition decreased.
• Functional diversity and community-weighted means are considered of secondary importance compared to vegetation quantity, likely because the rapid buildup of biomass during succession overrides the effects of community functional properties.

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} }