Optimal set of leaf and whole-tree elements for predicting forest functioning

Abstract. The role played by environmental factors in the functioning of forest ecosystems is relatively well known. However, the potential of the elemental composition of trees (i.e., elementomes) as a predictor of forest functioning remains elusive. We assessed the predictive power of elemental composition from different perspectives: testing whether whole-plant element stocks or concentrations explain forest production and productivity (i.e., production per unit of standing biomass) better than leaf elements or environmental factors; identifying the optimal set (combination and quantity) of elements that best predicts forest functioning. To do so, we used a forest inventory of 2000 plots in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, containing in-site information about the elementomes (C, Ca, K, Mg, N, Na, P, and S) of leaves, branches, stems and barks, in addition to annual biomass production per organ. We found that models using leaf element stocks as predictors achieve the highest explained variation in forest production. The optimal dimensionality was achieved by combining the foliar stocks of C, Ca, K, Mg, N, P, and interactions (C×N, C×P, and N×P). Forest biomass productivity was best predicted by forest age. Hence, our results indicate that leaf element stocks are better predictors of forest biomass production than element concentrations or stocks of the whole trees, suggesting that analyzing leaves alone is a good enough approach to study ecosystem functioning.