Ecosystem services of mixed stands of scots pine and maritime pine: biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration

Abstract

Many studies highlight the role of mixed vs monospecific forests to supply ecosystem services. Most reports of positive mixture effects focus on mixtures that combine tree species with contrasting traits, but little is known on the effect of mixing species that are expected to behave quite similarly as they belong to the same genus. This thesis assessed the effect of mixed vs monospecific stands of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton.) (I) on the carbon storage and exchangeable cations along the soil profile; (II) on the understory richness and life-forms composition and its relationship with the soil status; (III) on the main tree species regeneration and understory species composition; and (IV) on the overstory productivity at two spatial scales (small-scale and stand-level), its relationship with soil moisture and fertility, and its repercussion on the understory.