Big-sized trees and species-functional diversity pathways mediate divergent impacts of environmental factors on individual biomass variability in Sri Lankan tropical forests

In this study, we used the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Models (PLS-SEMs), and other complementary analyses, on data from 189 tropical forest plots in Sri Lanka, to test the linkages amongst climate, soil, plot conditions, big-sized trees, species-functional diversity, and abiotic and biotic effects on individual biomass variability (BioVar). This study suggests that individual tree biomass variability (i.e., BioVar) should be considered for managing natural tropical forests in the context of the plant-plant interactions for species coexistence.

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