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Understanding how carbon storage and tree diversity are related in forests and woodlands is crucial for a sustainable flow of
ecosystem goods and services. The goal of this study was to determine how tree species richness, evenness and environmental
factors influence aboveground live tree carbon stocks (AGC) in two tropical vegetation types in Tanzania. We surveyed trees and
sampled soil from 222 vegetation plots (20 m × 40 m) in montane forests (n = 60) and miombo woodlands (n = 162). We used
a multimodel inference approach to determine how AGC related to tree species richness, evenness and environmental factors,
and linear mixed effect models to test the role of tree sizes on the AGC-richness and evenness associations. AGC were related
unimodally to tree species richness and evenness in the montane forest. Likewise, AGC in the miombo woodlands was positively
related to tree species richness. AGC from small trees were related unimodally to tree species richness in both vegetation types.
Apparently the AGC had both monotonically increasing and decreasing associations with all abiotic environmental factors
in both vegetation types. We emphasize that both tree size, number of multi-stemed trees and environmental factors have an
important role in determining how AGC are related to richness and evenness. Finally, management of montane forests and
miombo woodlands of Tanzania to enhance ecosystem benefit, such as AGC, will require strategies that consider tree sizes, tree
species richness, evenness and underlying environmental and disturbance factors. |
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