Elevated growth and biomass along temperate forest edges

Luca L. Morreale, Jonathan R. Thompson, Xiaojing Tang, Andrew B. Reinmann & Lucy R. Hutyra Abstract Fragmentation transforms the environment along forest edges. The prevailing narrative, driven by research in tropical systems, suggests that edge environments increase tree mortality and structural degradation resulting in net decreases in ecosystem productivity. We show that, in contrast to tropical systems, temperate forest edges exhibit increased forest growth and biomass with no change in total mortality relative to the forest interior. We analyze >48,000 forest inventory plots across the north-eastern US using a quasi-experimental matching ...