Widespread slow growth of acquisitive tree species
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F62156489%3A43410%2F25%3A43926903" target="_blank" >RIV/62156489:43410/25:43926903 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08692-x" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08692-x</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08692-x" target="_blank" >10.1038/s41586-025-08692-x</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Widespread slow growth of acquisitive tree species
Original language description
Trees are an important carbon sink as they accumulate biomass through photosynthesis1. Identifying tree species that grow fast is therefore commonly considered to be essential for effective climate change mitigation through forest planting. Although species characteristics are key information for plantation design and forest management, field studies often fail to detect clear relationships between species functional traits and tree growth2. Here, by consolidating four independent datasets and classifying the acquisitive and conservative species based on their functional trait values, we show that acquisitive tree species, which are supposedly fast-growing species, generally grow slowly in field conditions. This discrepancy between the current paradigm and field observations is explained by the interactions with environmental conditions that influence growth. Acquisitive species require moist mild climates and fertile soils, conditions that are generally not met in the field. By contrast, conservative species, which are supposedly slow-growing species, show generally higher realized growth due to their ability to tolerate unfavourable environmental conditions. In general, conservative tree species grow more steadily than acquisitive tree species in non-tropical forests. We recommend planting acquisitive tree species in areas where they can realize their fast-growing potential. In other regions, where environmental stress is higher, conservative tree species have a larger potential to fix carbon in their biomass.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
40102 - Forestry
Result continuities
Project
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Continuities
O - Projekt operacniho programu
Others
Publication year
2025
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Nature
ISSN
0028-0836
e-ISSN
1476-4687
Volume of the periodical
640
Issue of the periodical within the volume
19 March
Country of publishing house
GB - UNITED KINGDOM
Number of pages
7
Pages from-to
395-401
UT code for WoS article
001447839600001
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-105000560214