The diversity-productivity relationship: a functional approach to investigate the effect of diversity on individual tree productivity.

In forest ecosystems, species diversity generally increases and stabilizes productivity in addition to many ecological co-benefits. Yet, the importance of species diversity in driving forest productivity varies greatly among studies and there are still knowledge gaps—and occasional conflicting results between individual studies—regarding why, where and when diversity matters the most for productivity. In addition, although it is the combination of interactions among neighboring tree species that is expected to lead to the diversity - productivity relationship observed at the community level, the specificities of these interactions are rarely studied. Thus, this project aims to investigate the interactions between neighboring tree species. We ask how does this relationship change with neighboring species traits? What traits characterize a good neighborhood from the target species point of view? Does that change depending on the target species traits? The use of the vast network of permanent plots in Quebec will allow us to answer these questions and thus improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the diversity - productivity relationship.

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