Tree species diversity as a driver of ecological restoration in the Atlantic Forest: evidence from the BEF-Atlantic experiment

Abstract

Biodiversity shapes the early trajectories of forest restoration by influencing functional processes that determine ecosystem development. We investigate the taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic drivers of early tree dynamics in tropical forest restoration by combining empirical evidence from a large-scale biodiversity-ecosystem functioning experiment in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. The BEF-Atlantic experiment, comprises seedlings of 12 native tree species arranged along gradients of species richness, functional composition and phylogenetic diversity. In Chapter I, a global scientometric synthesis of studies (1991 to 2021) identifies temporal, geographical and conceptual patterns in biodiversity assessments applied to forest restoration. The analysis shows a strong dominance of taxonomic metrics and limited incorporation of functional and phylogenetic dimensions, as well as geographical biases and scarce multidimensional approaches. The global synthesis further reveals persistent gaps in the use of multidimensional biodiversity metrics. In Chapter II, we evaluate how species identity, species richness, functional traits and precipitation shape early seedling survival. Generalized linear mixed models and machine learning approaches reveal that species identity and functional composition, particularly community-weighted wood density, are the most influential predictors of survival. Precipitation did not significantly affect survival during the study period. Chapter III investigates how multiple biodiversity dimensions and climatic variation jointly influence early aboveground biomass stock. Linear mixed-effects models and machine learning regressions show that species identity, community-weighted wood density and accumulated precipitation are the primary determinants of biomass, while species richness contributed less to explaining biomass variation. Chapter IV consists of a science communication article that outlines key challenges for forest restoration, from species selection and reference ecosystems to invasive non-native species management and nursery constraints, and frames the BEF Atlantic project as a practical example of these challenges. By integrating experimental and global perspectives, this thesis advances the understanding of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in restoration contexts and offers guidance for developing more resilient and functionally informed restoration strategies.