Data from: Functional response of plant communities to clearcutting: management impacts differ between forest vegetation zones

1. Understanding of the ecological impacts of logging practices on biodiversity and associated ecosystem processes is essential for developing sustainable forest management approaches. We documented the impacts of clearcutting on the functional structure of tree and herbaceous communities in hemiboreal, cool-temperate, warm-temperate and subtropical forests in the Japanese archipelago and identified forest vegetation that is vulnerable to deterioration of important ecosystem functions. 2. We combined species data for leaf, stem, flower and fruit traits related to productivity, nutrient cycling and habitat quality for wildlife with phytosociological vegetation data from unmanaged and previously-clearcut forests, then calculated functional structure indices (community mean of trait values, functional richness and functional divergence) of plant communities. 3 .For tree species, functional structure indices of specific leaf area (SLA), leaf carbon and nitrogen concentrations, maximum height, wood density and flower size differed between unmanaged and clearcut forests, while for herb species, only maximum height differed between the two forest types. 4. Functional structure indices showed divergent patterns across forest vegetation zones. In hemiboreal, cool-temperate and warm-temperate forests, the community means of SLA and leaf nitrogen concentration were greater and that of leaf carbon concentration was smaller in clearcut than in unmanaged forests. Although clearcut forests had greater species richness than unmanaged forests, functional richness and/or functional divergence of maximum height were smaller in clearcut forests. In hemiboreal and cool-temperate forests, functional richness and functional divergence of SLA were also smaller in clearcut forests. In contrast, subtropical forests showed no differences in species richness and functional structures between unmanaged and clearcut forests. 5. Synthesis and applications. Functional redundancy of plant communities differs among traits and among forest vegetation zones. After intensive logging, hemiboreal, cool-temperate and warm-temperate forests were more vulnerable to the loss of ecosystem functions related to leaf and stem traits of tree species than were subtropical forests, which appeared relatively resilient. Locally adaptive management to maintain multiple ecosystem functions should be developed based on the degree of functional complementarity among plant species in forest communities.

1. 明晰采伐活动对生物多样性及相关生态系统过程的生态影响，是构建可持续森林管理方案的核心前提。本研究针对日本列岛的半寒带（hemiboreal）、寒温带、暖温带以及亚热带森林，记录了皆伐（clearcutting）对木本与草本植物群落功能结构的影响，并筛选出易受重要生态系统功能退化威胁的森林植被类型。
2. 我们将与生产力、养分循环及野生动物栖息地质量相关的叶、茎、花、果实性状物种数据，与未经营林及既往皆伐林的植物社会学（phytosociological）植被调查数据相结合，进而计算得到植物群落的功能结构指数，包括群落性状均值、功能丰富度（functional richness）与功能分异度（functional divergence）。
3. 针对木本植物，未经营林与皆伐林在比叶面积（specific leaf area, SLA）、叶碳浓度、叶氮浓度、最大株高、木材密度以及花尺寸对应的功能结构指数上均存在显著差异；而对于草本植物，仅最大株高的功能结构指数在两类林分间存在差异。
4. 功能结构指数在不同森林植被带中呈现出分化的格局。在半寒带、寒温带与暖温带森林中，皆伐林的SLA与叶氮浓度的群落均值显著高于未经营林，而叶碳浓度的群落均值则显著低于未经营林。尽管皆伐林的物种丰富度高于未经营林，但其最大株高对应的功能丰富度及/或功能分异度却更低。在半寒带与寒温带森林中，SLA的功能丰富度与功能分异度在皆伐林中同样更低。与之相反，亚热带森林的物种丰富度与功能结构在未经营林与皆伐林间均无显著差异。
5. 总结与应用启示。植物群落的功能冗余度因性状类型与森林植被带的不同而存在差异。经高强度皆伐后，半寒带、寒温带与暖温带森林在木本植物叶、茎性状相关的生态系统功能丧失方面，相较于相对具备恢复力的亚热带森林更为脆弱。未来应基于森林群落内植物物种间的功能互补程度，制定适配当地的管理方案，以维持多重生态系统功能。