Abstract:
Understanding the drivers of nutrient cycling and leaf trait variation in Himalayan forests is critical for predicting ecosystem resilience under climate change. This study investigated the roles of tree diversity and stand structure in regulating soil nitrogen and mean leaf area in high-elevation forest ecosystems. Results showed that species richness and Shannon diversity had weak but statistically significant effects on soil nitrogen (R² = 0.04-0.05), while evenness and all structural metrics (DBH, height, crown dimensions) exhibited no influence. Correlation analyses revealed a complete decoupling of diversity and structure, with strong within-dimension associations but negligible cross-links. Pie-chart analysis suggested biodiversity explained 92.7% of the explained variation compared to 7.3% for structure, yet overall explanatory power remained low (R² = 0.048), emphasizing dominant abiotic controls such as atmospheric deposition and geological substrates. Structural equation modeling confirmed biodiversity as a weak but significant predictor ($\beta$ = 0.22),while structure showed no effect. In contrast, canopy architecture emerged as the primary determinant of mean leaf area, with crown width exerting the strongest influence ($\beta$ = 0.81), followed by tree height ($\beta$ = 0.15).Diversity metrics showed no relationship with leaf traits, confirming complete independence of compositional and architectural axes. These findings suggest that nitrogen cycling is primarily governed by abiotic factors, with limited modulation of biodiversity, whereas canopy structure strongly influences functional leaf traits. The study challenges lowland biodiversity-ecosystem functioning paradigms and highlights the need for conservation and modeling approaches in mountain forests that emphasize structural integrity alongside biodiversity preservation.
Page(s):
158-158
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: 1st International Conference on "Recent Advances in Green Biotechnology and Climate Resilience", September 15-16, 2025, Volume: 1, Issue: 1, Year: 2025