Unraveling the Role of Tree Species Diversity in Climate Change Mitigation: A Case Study of Ecuadorian Tropical Forests

Authors

• Carlos Alfredo Salas-Macías, Laboratorio Funcionamiento de Agroecosistemas y Cambio Climático – FAGROCLIM, Departamento de Ciencias Agronómicas, Facultad de Ingeniería Agronómica, Universidad Técnica de Manabí. Lodana 131302, EcuadorFollow
• Ezequiel Zamora-Ledezma, Laboratorio Funcionamiento de Agroecosistemas y Cambio Climático – FAGROCLIM, Departamento de Ciencias Agrícolas. Facultad de Ingeniería Agrícola, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Lodana 131302, EcuadorFollow
• Karime Montes-Escobar, Laboratorio Funcionamiento de Agroecosistemas y Cambio Climático – FAGROCLIM, Departamento de Ciencias Agrícolas. Facultad de Ingeniería Agrícola, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Lodana 131302, EcuadorFollow
• Grover García-Saltos, Maestría en Ingeniería Agrícola con mención en Agroecología y Cambio Climático, Facultad de Posgrado, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Portoviejo 131305, EcuadorFollow
• Jerry Toth, Third Millennium Alliance – Ecuador, Camarones, Jama, Manabí 131008, EcuadorFollow
• Moises Tenorio-Mendoza, Third Millennium Alliance – Ecuador, Camarones, Jama, Manabí 131008, EcuadorFollow
• Juan Manuel Moreira-Castro, Jardín Universitario, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Portoviejo 131305, EcuadorFollow
• María Belen Vinces-Obando, Laboratorio Funcionamiento de Agroecosistemas y Cambio Climático – FAGROCLIM, Departamento de Ciencias Agronómicas, Facultad de Ingeniería Agronómica, Universidad Técnica de Manabí. Lodana 131302, EcuadorFollow
• Luis David Balarezo-Saltos, Departamento de Acuicultura y Pesca y Recursos Naturales Renovables, Facultad de Acuicultura y Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Calle Gonzalo Loor Velasco, Bahía 130103, EcuadorFollow

Abstract

To address climate change, a crucial environmental challenge, strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are essential. This study examines the relationship between tree species diversity, aboveground biomass (AGB), and carbon storage across tropical forests. The research was carried out in the Jama-Coaque Ecological Reserve and the Bosque Seco Lalo Loor Ecological Reserve in northwestern Ecuador, using 16 sample plots across five forest types: Mature Moist Forest (MMF), Cloud Forest (CLF), Early Succession Forest (ESF), Tropical Dry Forest (TDF), and Mature Semi-Deciduous Forest (MSF). To obtain indices of diversity and evenness, individual species were measured within plots, along with assessments of species abundance and richness. Biomass estimation was performed using allometric equations, while Principal Component Analysis (PCA) explored the relationships among diversity, structure, and carbon storage. Forests with higher diversity, such as MMF (Hʹ = 3.245), exhibited greater carbon storage in AGB (119.87 MgC ha^-1). The global ranking for C storage capability among tropical forests was MMF > MSF > CLF > TDF > ESF. Species diversity influenced forest stand characteristics, increasing carbon storage potential in AGB. These findings highlight the impor-tance of diverse forests in conservation and policy, given their enhanced carbon sequestration potential for mitigating climate change.

Recommended Citation

Salas-Macías, Carlos Alfredo; Zamora-Ledezma, Ezequiel; Montes-Escobar, Karime; García-Saltos, Grover; Toth, Jerry; Tenorio-Mendoza, Moises; Moreira-Castro, Juan Manuel; Vinces-Obando, María Belen; and Balarezo-Saltos, Luis David (2026) "Unraveling the Role of Tree Species Diversity in Climate Change Mitigation: A Case Study of Ecuadorian Tropical Forests," Makara Journal of Science: Vol. 30: Iss. 2, Article 13.
DOI: 10.7454/mss.v30i2.3035
Available at: https://scholarhub.ui.ac.id/science/vol30/iss2/13