The right tree in the right place for a clear reason is a nice slogan, but requires data that are not easily available. Functional diversity refers to the value, range, and relative abundance of functional characteristics (traits, in an ecological sense) in a given ecosystem. Functional diversity approaches are considered a powerful tool to quantify plant responses to environmental gradients and plant mediated effects of ecosystem processes. For instance they can improve our understanding of the relationship between tree diversity and ecosystem functioning. This is a research field that develops fast and global datasets of traits are available, particularly for natural ecosystems. In human intervened ecosystems such information is more limited but farmers/land managers are well aware of plant functions that include the use of products as well as provision of ecosystem services. Here we will present a list of attributes related to key ecosystems services, as identified from scientific knowledge and farmer perspectives, as well as databases available. Finally some brief examples of how these attributes can be used to assess ecosystem services will be presented.
Seminar 13 Mar 13 - Session 4 - Who drives deforestation in Kalimantan by DGa...
Seminar 13 Mar 2013 - Session 2 - Tree Functional Attributes_ by DHarja & JOrdonez
1. Tree functional attributes in
relation to ecosystem services
Degi Harja, Jenny Ordonez, Meine
van Noordwijk
2. Ecosystem Services:
• Provisioning (the production of food, water, etc)
• Regulating (the control of climate, disease, etc)
• Supporting (nutrient cycles, crop pollination, etc)
• Cultural (spiritual and recreational benefits, etc)
3. Land cover, functional diversity and
ecosystem services
Environmental conditions
Climate
Soils
Pests / Diseases
Land cover
Ecosystem Services
Food, materials,
Vegetation distribution Ecological processes:
medicines
Production
Soil fertility
Nutrient cycles
Climate regulation
Water cycles
Connectivity
Functional Trophic transfers
Recreation, culture,
Diversity religion
(vegetation attributes)
Actors
Strategies and
means
4. Specific examples of relating tree
attributes to ecosystem processes
Species ID Biodiversity
Quantifying
Tree Height and Site Productivity
Wood Density Modeling Carbon Sequestration
Litter fall rate Complex Nutrient Cycles
Root Function Interactions Soil health
Rain Interception Water cycles
5. Requirements
Tree Functional Tree FUNATIC Database
Attributes Library
Scenarios
Modeling WaNuLCAS, SExI-FS, GenRiver
Ecosystem Ecological Dynamic
Services Value
6. Database Climatic Tree FUNATIC Land cover,
zonation connectivity
Scheme Map
Floristic &
Suitability
Carbon eco-regions
stock
Ecological Growth Map
Mesoclimate
range parameters coordinates
Tree Soil &
Properties Species ID Plot ID
inventory land form
Use & utility, Products Growth & Watershed
ethnobotany & markets yield models functions
Taxonomy, Common Botanical Digital Functional
synonyms names description herbarium diversity
indicators,
Pollination, Wood Allometric Leaf ecolabelling
dispersal density relations morphotype Species criteria
identifica-
*Tree Functional attributes and Ecological Database tion tools