The global distribution and drivers of wood density and their impact on forest carbon stocks
Authors: Mo Lidong , Crowther Thomas W. , Maynard Daniel S. , van den Hoogen Johan , Ma Haozhi , Bialic-Murphy Lalasia , Liang Jingjing , de-Miguel Sergio , Nabuurs Gert-Jan , Reich Peter B. , Phillips Oliver L. , Abegg Meinrad , Adou Yao Yves C. , Alberti Giorgio , Almeyda Zambrano Angelica M. , Alvarado Braulio Vilchez , Alvarez-Dávila Esteban , Alvarez-Loayza Patricia , Alves Luciana F. , Amaral Iêda , Ammer Christian , Antón-Fernández Clara , Araujo-Murakami Alejandro , Arroyo Luzmila , Avitabile Valerio , Aymard Gerardo A. , Baker Timothy R. , Bałazy Radomir , Banki Olaf , Barroso Jorcely G. , Bastian Meredith L. , Bastin Jean-Francois , Birigazzi Luca , Birnbaum Philippe , Bitariho Robert , Boeckx Pascal , Bongers Frans , Boonman Coline C. F. , Bouriaud Olivier , Brancalion Pedro H. S. , Brandl Susanne , Brearley Francis Q. , Brienen Roel , Broadbent Eben N. , Bruelheide Helge , Bussotti Filippo , Gatti Roberto Cazzolla , César Ricardo G. , Cesljar Goran , Chazdon Robin , Chen Han Y. H. , Chisholm Chelsea , Cho Hyunkook , Cienciala Emil , Clark Connie , Clark David , Colletta Gabriel D. , Coomes David A. , Valverde Fernando Cornejo , Corral-Rivas José J. , Crim Philip M. , Cumming Jonathan R. , Dayanandan Selvadurai , de Gasper André L. , Decuyper Mathieu , Derroire Géraldine , DeVries Ben , Djordjevic Ilija , Dolezal Jiri , Dourdain Aurélie , Engone Obiang Nestor Laurier , Enquist Brian J. , Eyre Teresa J. , Fandohan Adandé Belarmain , Fayle Tom M. , Feldpausch Ted R. , Ferreira Leandro V. , Finér Leena , Fischer Markus , Fletcher Christine , Frizzera Lorenzo , Gamarra Javier G. P. , Gianelle Damiano , Glick Henry B. , Harris David J. , Hector Andrew , Hemp Andreas , Hengeveld Geerten , Hérault Bruno , Herbohn John L. , Herold Martin , Hietz Peter , Hillers Annika , Honorio Coronado Eurídice N. , Hui Cang , Ibanez Thomas , Imai Nobuo , Jagodziński Andrzej M. , Jaroszewicz Bogdan , Johannsen Vivian Kvist , Joly Carlos A. , Jucker Tommaso , Jung Ilbin , Karminov Viktor , Kartawinata Kuswata , Kearsley Elizabeth , Kenfack David , Kennard Deborah K. , Kepfer-Rojas Sebastian , Keppel Gunnar , Khan Mohammed Latif , Killeen Timothy J. , Kim Hyun Seok , Kitayama Kanehiro , Köhl Michael , Korjus Henn , Kraxner Florian , Kucher Dmitry , Laarmann Diana , Lang Mait , Lewis Simon L. , Li Yuanzhi , Lopez-Gonzalez Gabriela , Lu Huicui , Lukina Natalia V. , Maitner Brian S. , Malhi Yadvinder , Marcon Eric , Marimon Beatriz Schwantes , Marimon-Junior Ben Hur , Marshall Andrew R. , Martin Emanuel H. , McCarthy James K. , Meave Jorge A. , Melo-Cruz Omar , Mendoza Casimiro , Mendoza-Polo Irina , Miscicki Stanislaw , Merow Cory , Mendoza Abel Monteagudo , Moreno Vanessa S. , Mukul Sharif A. , Mundhenk Philip , Nava-Miranda María Guadalupe , Neill David , Neldner Victor J. , Nevenic Radovan V. , Ngugi Michael R. , Niklaus Pascal A. , Ontikov Petr , Ortiz-Malavasi Edgar , Pan Yude , Paquette Alain , Parada-Gutierrez Alexander , Parfenova Elena I. , Park Minjee , Parren Marc , Parthasarathy Narayanaswamy , Peri Pablo L. , Pfautsch Sebastian , Picard Nicolas , Piedade Maria Teresa F. , Piotto Daniel , Pitman Nigel C. A. , Poorter Lourens , Poulsen Axel Dalberg , Poulsen John R. , Pretzsch Hans , Arevalo Freddy Ramirez , Restrepo-Correa Zorayda , Richardson Sarah J. , Rodeghiero Mirco , Rolim Samir G. , Roopsind Anand , Rovero Francesco , Rutishauser Ervan , Saikia Purabi , Salas-Eljatib Christian , Saner Philippe , Schall Peter , Schelhaas Mart-Jan , Schepaschenko Dmitry , Scherer-Lorenzen Michael , Schmid Bernhard , Schöngart Jochen , Searle Eric B. , Seben Vladimír , Serra-Diaz Josep M. , Sheil Douglas , Shvidenko Anatoly Z. , Da Silva Ana Carolina , Silva-Espejo Javier E. , Silveira Marcos , Singh James , Sist Plinio , Slik Ferry , Sonké Bonaventure , Sosinski Enio Egon , Souza Alexandre F. , Stereńczak Krzysztof J. , Svenning Jens-Christian , Svoboda Miroslav , Swanepoel Ben , Targhetta Natalia , Tchebakova Nadja , ter Steege Hans , Thomas Raquel , Tikhonova Elena , Umunay Peter M. , Usoltsev Vladimir A. , Valencia Renato , Valladares Fernando , Van Bodegom Peter M. , van der Plas Fons , Van Do Tran , van Nuland Michael E. , Vasquez Rodolfo M. , Verbeeck Hans , Viana Helder , Vibrans Alexander C. , Vieira Simone , von Gadow Klaus , Wang Hua-Feng , Watson James V. , Werner Gijsbert D. A. , Wittmann Florian , Woell Hannsjoerg , Wortel Verginia , Zagt Roderick , Zawiła-Niedźwiecki Tomasz , Zhang Chunyu , Zhao Xiuhai , Zhou Mo , Zhu Zhi-Xin , Zo-Bi Irie C. , Zohner Constantin M. 
Published: October 2024

The density of wood is a key indicator of the carbon investment strategies of trees, impacting productivity and carbon storage. Despite its importance, the global variation in wood density and its environmental controls remain poorly understood, preventing accurate predictions of global forest carbon stocks. Here we analyse information from 1.1 million forest inventory plots alongside wood density data from 10,703 tree species to create a spatially explicit understanding of the global wood density distribution and its drivers. Our findings reveal a pronounced latitudinal gradient, with wood in tropical forests being up to 30% denser than that in boreal forests. In both angiosperms and gymnosperms, hydrothermal conditions represented by annual mean temperature and soil moisture emerged as the primary factors influencing the variation in wood density globally. This indicates similar environmental filters and evolutionary adaptations among distinct plant groups, underscoring the essential role of abiotic factors in determining wood density in forest ecosystems. Additionally, our study highlights the prominent role of disturbance, such as human modification and fire risk, in influencing wood density at more local scales. Factoring in the spatial variation of wood density notably changes the estimates of forest carbon stocks, leading to differences of up to 21% within biomes. Therefore, our research contributes to a deeper understanding of terrestrial biomass distribution and how environmental changes and disturbances impact forest ecosystems.