{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,5]],"date-time":"2026-05-05T16:11:05Z","timestamp":1777997465171,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":58,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,16]],"date-time":"2022-03-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1647388800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001659","name":"Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["319936945\/GRK2324"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["319936945\/GRK2324"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001659","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Remote Sensing"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Reforestation in sloping terrain is an important measure for soil erosion control and sustainable watershed management. The mechanical stability of such reforested stands, however, can be low due to a strong asymmetric shape of tree crowns. We investigated how neighbourhood tree species richness, neighbourhood pressure, tree height, and slope inclination affect crown asymmetry in a large-scale plantation biodiversity-ecosystem functioning experiment in subtropical China (BEF-China) over eight years. We took the advantage of terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) measurements, which provide non-destructive, high-resolution data of tree structure without altering tree interactions. Neighbourhood species richness significantly reduced crown asymmetry, and this effect became stronger at steeper slopes. Our results suggest that tree diversity promotes the mechanical stability of forest stands in sloping terrain and highlight the importance of TLS-data for a comprehensive understanding of the role of tree diversity in modulating crown interactions in mixed-species forest plantations.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/rs14061441","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,16]],"date-time":"2022-03-16T22:15:04Z","timestamp":1647468904000},"page":"1441","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Neighbourhood Species Richness Reduces Crown Asymmetry of Subtropical Trees in Sloping Terrain"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2475-4918","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria D.","family":"Perles-Garcia","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), 04103 Leipzig, Germany"},{"name":"Institute of Biology\/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06108 Halle (Saale), Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0541-3424","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Matthias","family":"Kunz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of General Ecology and Environmental Protection, Technische Universit\u00e4t Dresden, 01737 Tharandt, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0499-4893","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andreas","family":"Fichtner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Ecology, Leuphana University of L\u00fcneburg, 21335 L\u00fcneburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5732-0791","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nora","family":"Meyer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of General Ecology and Environmental Protection, Technische Universit\u00e4t Dresden, 01737 Tharandt, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5599-5792","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Werner","family":"H\u00e4rdtle","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Ecology, Leuphana University of L\u00fcneburg, 21335 L\u00fcneburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7408-425X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Goddert","family":"von Oheimb","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of General Ecology and Environmental Protection, Technische Universit\u00e4t Dresden, 01737 Tharandt, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.aav3223","article-title":"Global restoration opportunities in tropical rainforest landscapes","volume":"5","author":"Brancalion","year":"2019","journal-title":"Sci. Adv."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hobohm, C. (2021). Forest Ecosystems: A Functional and Biodiversity Perspective. Perspectives for Biodiversity and Ecosystems, Springer International Publishing.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-57710-0"},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"FAO (2020). Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020: Main Report, FAO."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1628","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1111773","article-title":"Restoration of degraded tropical forest landscapes","volume":"310","author":"Lamb","year":"2005","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.1016\/S1389-9341(01)00078-8","article-title":"The role of trees for sustainable management of less-favored lands: The case of eucalyptus in Ethiopia","volume":"5","author":"Jagger","year":"2003","journal-title":"For. Policy Econ."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"33","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foreco.2004.06.010","article-title":"Degradation and restoration of forest ecosystems in China","volume":"201","author":"Wenhua","year":"2004","journal-title":"For. Ecol. Manag."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105860","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecoleng.2020.105860","article-title":"Afforestation changes soil organic carbon stocks on sloping land: The role of previous land cover and tree type","volume":"152","author":"Hou","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ecol. Eng."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.1038\/d41586-019-01026-8","article-title":"Restoring natural forests is the best way to remove atmospheric carbon","volume":"568","author":"Lewis","year":"2019","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1708","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foreco.2010.08.015","article-title":"Tree morphology responds to neighbourhood competition and slope in species-rich forests of subtropical China","volume":"260","author":"Lang","year":"2010","journal-title":"For. Ecol. Manag."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"749","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-8137.2007.02275.x","article-title":"Ecological limits to plant phenotypic plasticity","volume":"176","author":"Valladares","year":"2007","journal-title":"New Phytol."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.1016\/0304-3800(94)00081-R","article-title":"Modeling the relationship between the asymmetry in crown display and local environment","volume":"82","author":"Umeki","year":"1995","journal-title":"Ecol. Modell."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"787","DOI":"10.1007\/s10342-011-0552-y","article-title":"Crown plasticity and neighborhood interactions of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in an old-growth forest","volume":"131","year":"2012","journal-title":"Eur. J. For. Res."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2130","DOI":"10.1111\/ele.13400","article-title":"Neighbour species richness and local structural variability modulate aboveground allocation patterns and crown morphology of individual trees","volume":"22","author":"Kunz","year":"2019","journal-title":"Ecol. Lett."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecolmodel.2017.03.018","article-title":"Crown plasticity in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) as a strategy of adaptation to competition and environmental factors","volume":"356","author":"Pommerening","year":"2017","journal-title":"Ecol. Modell."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"447","DOI":"10.1007\/s004420050397","article-title":"Mechanisms the degree of size asymmetry determining in competition among plants","volume":"113","author":"Schwinning","year":"2012","journal-title":"Oecologia"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1464","DOI":"10.2307\/1941119","article-title":"Crown asymmetry, treefalls, and repeat disturbance of broad-leaved forest gaps","volume":"72","author":"Young","year":"1991","journal-title":"Ecology"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"621","DOI":"10.1007\/s10342-013-0699-9","article-title":"Crown plasticity reduces inter-tree competition in a mixed broadleaved forest","volume":"132","author":"Longuetaud","year":"2013","journal-title":"Eur. J. For. Res."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1323","DOI":"10.1139\/x03-045","article-title":"Tree canopy displacement and neighborhood interactions","volume":"33","author":"Muth","year":"2003","journal-title":"Can. J. For. Res."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"693","DOI":"10.1007\/s11284-010-0712-4","article-title":"A review of light interception in plant stands from leaf to canopy in different plant functional types and in species with varying shade tolerance","volume":"25","author":"Niinemets","year":"2010","journal-title":"Ecol. Res."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envexpbot.2012.09.010","article-title":"How do evergreen and deciduous species respond to shade?\u2014Tolerance and plasticity of subtropical tree and shrub species of South-East China","volume":"87","author":"Bruelheide","year":"2013","journal-title":"Environ. Exp. Bot."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1078","DOI":"10.1111\/1365-2435.12428","article-title":"Crown plasticity enables trees to optimize canopy packing in mixed-species forests","volume":"29","author":"Jucker","year":"2015","journal-title":"Funct. Ecol."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2597","DOI":"10.1111\/1365-2745.13669","article-title":"High tree diversity enhances light interception in tropical forests","volume":"109","author":"Duarte","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Ecol."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1256","DOI":"10.1111\/nph.16722","article-title":"Neighbourhood-mediated shifts in tree biomass allocation drive overyielding in tropical species mixtures","volume":"228","author":"Guillemot","year":"2020","journal-title":"New Phytol."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"217","DOI":"10.1016\/j.baae.2020.12.003","article-title":"Tree-tree interactions and crown complementarity: The role of functional diversity and branch traits for canopy packing","volume":"50","author":"Hildebrand","year":"2021","journal-title":"Basic Appl. Ecol."},{"key":"ref_25","first-page":"63","article-title":"Spatial complementarity in tree crowns explains overyielding in species mixtures","volume":"1","author":"Williams","year":"2017","journal-title":"Methods Ecol. Evol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2753","DOI":"10.1111\/1365-2435.13218","article-title":"Change in drivers of mangrove crown displacement along a salinity stress gradient","volume":"32","author":"Vovides","year":"2018","journal-title":"Funct. Ecol."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"259","DOI":"10.1006\/anbo.1995.1019","article-title":"Importance of crown position and morphological plasticity in competitive interaction in a population of Xanthium canadense","volume":"75","author":"Umeki","year":"1995","journal-title":"Ann. Bot."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"573","DOI":"10.1093\/aob\/mcl127","article-title":"Stem phototropism of trees: A possible significant factor in determining stem inclination on forest slopes","volume":"98","author":"Matsuzaki","year":"2006","journal-title":"Ann. Bot."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"112102","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rse.2020.112102","article-title":"Terrestrial laser scanning in forest ecology: Expanding the horizon","volume":"251","author":"Calders","year":"2020","journal-title":"Remote Sens. Environ."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2123","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foreco.2011.03.008","article-title":"Crown plasticity in mixed forests-Quantifying asymmetry as a measure of competition using terrestrial laser scanning","volume":"261","author":"Seidel","year":"2011","journal-title":"For. Ecol. Manag."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"239","DOI":"10.1007\/s40725-015-0025-5","article-title":"Terrestrial laser scanning for plot-scale forest measurement","volume":"1","author":"Newnham","year":"2015","journal-title":"Curr. For. Rep."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.1016\/j.isprsjprs.2016.01.006","article-title":"Terrestrial laser scanning in forest inventories","volume":"115","author":"Liang","year":"2016","journal-title":"ISPRS J. Photogramm. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bienert, A., Georgi, L., Kunz, M., Maas, H.G., and von Oheimb, G. (2018). Comparison and combination of mobile and terrestrial laser scanning for natural forest inventories. Forests, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/f9070395"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2346","DOI":"10.3390\/rs3112346","article-title":"Estimating crown variables of individual trees using airborne and terrestrial laser scanners","volume":"3","author":"Jung","year":"2011","journal-title":"Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"74","DOI":"10.1111\/2041-210X.12126","article-title":"Designing forest biodiversity experiments: General considerations illustrated by a new large experiment in subtropical China","volume":"5","author":"Bruelheide","year":"2014","journal-title":"Methods Ecol. Evol."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"111","DOI":"10.1093\/jpe\/rtw065","article-title":"On the combined effect of soil fertility and topography on tree growth in subtropical forest ecosystems\u2019a study from SE China","volume":"10","author":"Scholten","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Plant Ecol."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"593","DOI":"10.1007\/s10342-013-0696-z","article-title":"Establishment success in a forest biodiversity and ecosystem functioning experiment in subtropical China (BEF-China)","volume":"132","author":"Yang","year":"2013","journal-title":"Eur. J. For. Res."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"453","DOI":"10.1007\/s13595-014-0358-4","article-title":"Assessing tree dendrometrics in young regenerating plantations using terrestrial laser scanning","volume":"71","author":"Li","year":"2014","journal-title":"Ann. For. Sci."},{"key":"ref_39","unstructured":"Ghilani, C.D., and Wolf, P.R. (2010). Adjustment Computations: Spatial Data Analysis, Wiley. [5th ed.]."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"551","DOI":"10.1109\/TIT.1983.1056714","article-title":"On the shape of a set of points in the plane","volume":"29","author":"Edelsbrunner","year":"1983","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory"},{"key":"ref_41","unstructured":"Pateiro-Lopez, B., and Rodriguez-Casal, A. (2019). alphahull Generalization of the Convex Hull of a Sample of Points in the Plane 2019, R Project."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bivand, R.S., Pebesma, E., and Gomez-Rubio, V. (2013). Applied Spatial Data Analysis with R, Springer. [2nd ed.].","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4614-7618-4"},{"key":"ref_43","unstructured":"Hijmans, R.J. (2020). raster: Geographic Data Analysis and Modeling, R Project."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2151","DOI":"10.1139\/x01-161","article-title":"Neighborhood competition and crown asymmetry in Acer saccharum","volume":"31","author":"Brisson","year":"2001","journal-title":"Can. J. For. Res."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zuur, A.F., Ieno, E.N., Walker, N.S., and Smith, G.M. (2009). Mixed Effects Models and Extensions in Ecology with R, R Project.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-0-387-87458-6"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1104","DOI":"10.1002\/ecy.1748","article-title":"Can niche plasticity promote biodiversity\u2013productivity relationships through increased complementarity?","volume":"98","author":"Niklaus","year":"2017","journal-title":"Ecology"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"0104","DOI":"10.1038\/s41559-017-0104","article-title":"Biodiversity: Complementary canopies","volume":"1","author":"Schmid","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nat. Ecol. Evol."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2018.11.342","article-title":"Tree crown complementarity links positive functional diversity and aboveground biomass along large-scale ecological gradients in tropical forests","volume":"656","author":"Ali","year":"2019","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1144","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-018-03529-w","article-title":"Neighbourhood interactions drive overyielding in mixed-species tree communities","volume":"9","author":"Fichtner","year":"2018","journal-title":"Nat. Commun."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"224","DOI":"10.1111\/1365-2664.12157","article-title":"Mixed afforestation of young subtropical trees promotes nitrogen acquisition and retention","volume":"51","author":"Lang","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Appl. Ecol."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1035","DOI":"10.1111\/oik.02858","article-title":"Crown asymmetry in high latitude forests: Disentangling the directional effects of tree competition and solar radiation","volume":"125","author":"Aakala","year":"2016","journal-title":"Oikos"},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1693","DOI":"10.2307\/1939629","article-title":"The effect of neighbors on root distribution in a creosotebush (Larrea Tridentata) population","volume":"75","author":"Brisson","year":"1994","journal-title":"Ecology"},{"key":"ref_53","unstructured":"Ehbrecht, M.A. (2018). Quantifying Three-Dimensional Stand Structure and Its Relationship with Forest Management and Microclimate in Temperate Forest Ecosystems. [Ph.D. Thesis, Georg-August-Universit\u00e4t G\u00f6ttingen]."},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"165","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foreco.2007.01.009","article-title":"Asymmetric tree growth at the stand level: Random crown patterns and the response to slope","volume":"242","author":"Getzin","year":"2007","journal-title":"For. Ecol. Manage."},{"key":"ref_55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"301","DOI":"10.1093\/aob\/mcf042","article-title":"Spatial arrangement of branches in relation to slope and neighbourhood competition","volume":"89","author":"Sumida","year":"2002","journal-title":"Ann. Bot."},{"key":"ref_56","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"69","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foreco.2019.04.015","article-title":"Tree diversity reduced soil erosion by affecting tree canopy and biological soil crust development in a subtropical forest experiment","volume":"444","author":"Song","year":"2019","journal-title":"For. Ecol. Manag."},{"key":"ref_57","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1460","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-019-09448-8","article-title":"Multiple plant diversity components drive consumer communities across ecosystems","volume":"10","author":"Schuldt","year":"2019","journal-title":"Nat. Commun."},{"key":"ref_58","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"892","DOI":"10.1111\/ele.12786","article-title":"From competition to facilitation: How tree species respond to neighbourhood diversity","volume":"20","author":"Fichtner","year":"2017","journal-title":"Ecol. Lett."}],"container-title":["Remote Sensing"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-4292\/14\/6\/1441\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T22:37:51Z","timestamp":1760135871000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-4292\/14\/6\/1441"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,16]]},"references-count":58,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,3]]}},"alternative-id":["rs14061441"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/rs14061441","relation":{},"ISSN":["2072-4292"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2072-4292","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,16]]}}}