Beyond species means - the intraspecific contribution to global wood density variation

Indexed in

License and Use

Altmetrics

Analysis of institutional authors

Lopez, RosanaAuthor

February 4, 2026

Publications

Article

Hybrid Gold

Beyond species means - the intraspecific contribution to global wood density variation

Publicated to: NEW PHYTOLOGIST. PMID 9882884- - 2026-01-16 (), DOI: 10.1111/nph.70860

Authors:

Fischer FJ; Chave J; Zanne A; Jucker T; Fajardo A; Fayolle A; de Lima RAF; Vieilledent G; Beeckman H; Hubau W; De Mil T; Wallenus D; Aldana AM; Alvarez-Dávila E; Alves LF; Apgaua DMG; Arcanjo F; Bastin J-F; Bilous A; Birnbaum P; Blyshchyk V; Borah J; Boukili V; Camarero JJ; Casas L; Cazzolla Gatti R; Chambers JQ; Fabiano EC; Choat B; Conti G; Cornwell W; Dar JA; Das AK; Dobler M; Dougabka D; Edwards DP; Evans R; Falster D; Fearnside P; Flores O; Fyllas N; Gérard J; Goodman RC; Guibal D; Henao-Diaz LF; Hervé V; Hietz P; Homeier J; Ibanez T; Ilic J; Jansen S; Kalita RM; Kenzo T; Kindermann L; Kothandaraman S; Kotowska M; Kubota Y; Langbour P; Lawson J; de Lima ALA; Link RM; Linstädter A; López R; Macinnis-Ng C; Magnago LFS; Martin AR; Matheny AM; McCarthy JK; Miller RB; Nath AJ; Nelson BW; Njana M; Nogueira EM; Oliveira A; Oliveira R; Olson M; Onoda Y; Paul K; Piotto D; Radtke P; Razafindratsima O; Ramananantoandro T; Read J; Richardson S; de la Riva EG; Rodríguez-Reyes O; Rolim SG; Rolo V; Rosell JA; Salguero-Gómez R; Santini NS; Schuldt B; Schwendenmann L; Sellin A; Staples T; Stevenson PR; Sundarapandian S; van der Sande MT; Thibaut B; Tng DYP; Torezan JMD; Villanueva B; Weiskittel A; Wells J; Wright SJ; Zieminska K

[+]

Affiliations

- Author

Assam Univ, Dept Ecol & Environm Sci, Silchar 788011, Assam, India - Author

Bhattadev Univ, Dept Bot, Bajali 781325, Assam, India - Author

BOKU Univ, Inst Bot, Dept Ecosyst Management Climate & Biodivers, A-1180 Vienna, Austria - Author

Cary Inst Ecosyst Studies, Millbrook, NY 12545 USA - Author

Chalmers Univ Technol, Dept Space Earth & Environm, Div Phys Resource Theory, S-41296 Gothenburg, Sweden - Author

CIRAD, UMR AMAP, F-34398 Montpellier, France - Author

CIRAD, UPR BioWooEB, F-34398 Montpellier, France - Author

CIRAD, UPR Forets & Soc, F-34398 Montpellier, France - Author

Colegio Estadual Francisco Moreira Alves, BR-47655000 Jaborandi, BA, Brazil - Author

CSIRO Environm, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia - Author

Ctr Rainforest Studies, Sch Field Studies, Yungaburra, Qld 4872, Australia - Author

Ctr Univ UniFG, Ave Governador Nilo Coelho 4911, BR-46430000 Guanambi, BA, Brazil - Author

Dept Biol, Sect Ecol & Taxon, GR-15772 Athens, Greece - Author

Ecole Natl Super Travaux Publ Tchad, Dept Sci Fondamentales, BP 60, Ndjamena, Chad - Author

Fdn Con Vida, Calle 9 43A-33,Oficina 306, Medellin, Colombia - Author

Georg August Univ Goettingen, Plant Ecol & Ecosyst Res, D-37073 Gottingen, Germany - Author

HAWK Univ Appl Sci & Arts, Fac Resource Management, Daimlerstr 2, D-37075 Gottingen, Germany - Author

Hsch Weihenstephan Triesdorf, D-85354 Freising Weihenstephan, Germany - Author

Inst Ecol & Biodivers IEB, Las Palmeras 3425, Nunoa 8310000, Chile - Author

Inst Invest Recursos Biol Alexander Humboldt, Cl 72,12-65 Piso 4, Bogota, Colombia - Author

Inst Nacl de Pesquisas da Amazonia, BR-69067375 Manaus, AM, Brazil - Author

Inst Pirena Ecol IPE CSIC, Avda Montanana 1005, Zaragoza 50192, Spain - Author

Japan Int Res Ctr Agr Sci, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 3058686, Japan - Author

Jardin Bot Bogota, Ave Calle 63 68-95, Bogota, Colombia - Author

Kyoto Univ, Grad Sch Agr, Div Forest & Biomat Sci, Kyoto 6068502, Japan - Author

Macquarie Univ, Sch Nat Sci, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia - Author

Manaaki Whenua Landcare Res, Lincoln 7608, New Zealand - Author

Millenium Nucleus Patagonian Limit of Life LiLi, Valdivia 5090000, Chile - Author

Monash Univ, Sch Biol Sci, Melbourne, Vic 3800, Australia - Author

Natl Inst Res Amazonia INPA, BR-69067375 Manaus, AM, Brazil - Author

Natl Univ Life & Environm Sci Ukraine NUBiP, UA-03041 Kyiv, Ukraine - Author

Noumea, CIRAD, UMR AMAP, F-98848 New Caledonia, France - Author

Noumea, IAC, F-98848 New Caledonia, France - Author

NSW Dept Primary Ind & Reg Dev, Climate & Nat Resources Grp, Ourimbah, NSW 2250, Australia - Author

Off Strateg Planning & Community Dev, Somerville, MA 02143 USA - Author

Pondicherry Univ, Dept Ecol & Environm Sci, Pondicherry 605014, India - Author

Royal Museum Cent Africa, Serv Wood Biol, B-3080 Tervuren, Belgium - Author

Smithsonian Trop Res Inst, Balboa, Panama - Author

Smithsonian Trop Res Inst, Panama City, Panama - Author

SRM Univ AP, Ctr Geospatial Technol, Amaravati 522240, Andhra Pradesh, India - Author

SRM Univ AP, Ctr Geospatial Technol, Amaravati 522502, Andhra Pradesh, India - Author

SRM Univ AP, Dept Environm Sci & Engn, Terr Ecol & Modelling TEaM Lab, Amravati 522240, Andhra Pradesh, India - Author

SRM Univ AP, Dept Environm Sci & Engn, Terr Ecol & Modelling TEaM Lab, Amravati 522502, Andhra Pradesh, India - Author

Tech Univ Dresden, Forest Bot, Pienner Str 7, D-01737 Tharandt, Germany - Author

Tech Univ Munich, Sch Life Sci Ecosyst Dynam & Forest Management Mt, Hans Carl Von Carlowitz Pl 2, D-85354 Freising Weihenstephan, Germany - Author

Think Nat Inc, Urasoe City, Okinawa 9012102, Japan - Author

Ulm Univ, Inst Bot, Albert Einstein Allee 11, D-89081 Ulm, Germany - Author

Univ Antananarivo, Ecole Super Sci Agron, Ment Foresterie & Environm, BP 175, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar - Author

Univ Auckland, Sch Biol Sci & Te Punaha Matatini, Waipapa Taumata Rau, Auckland 1010, New Zealand - Author

Univ Auckland, Sch Environm, Auckland 1010, New Zealand - Author

Univ Bologna, Dept Biol Geol & Environm Sci, I-40126 Bologna, Italy - Author

Univ Bristol, Sch Biol Sci, Bristol BS8 1TQ, England - Author

Univ Calif Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA - Author

Univ Calif Berkeley, Dept Geog, Berkeley, CA 94709 USA - Author

Univ Calif Berkeley, Univ & Jepson Herbaria, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA - Author

Univ Calif Los Angeles, Inst Environm & Sustainabil, Ctr Trop Res, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA - Author

Univ Cambridge, Conservat Res Inst, Cambridge CB2 3EA, England - Author

Univ Cambridge, Ctr Global Wood Secur, Cambridge CB2 3EA, England - Author

Univ Cambridge, Dept Plant Sci, Cambridge CB2 3EA, England - Author

Univ Connecticut, Dept Ecol & Evolutionary Biol, Storrs, CT 06269 USA - Author

Univ Estadual Campinas, Ctr Ecol Integrat, Dept Biol Vegetal, Inst Biol, BR-13083862 Campinas, Brazil - Author

Univ Estadual Londrina, Biodivers & Ecosyst Restorat Lab, CCB, Campus Univ, BR-86051990 Londrina, PR, Brazil - Author

Univ Extremadura, INDEHESA, Forest Res Grp, Plasencia 10600, Spain - Author

Univ Fed Bahia, CEPLAC CEPEC, Rodovia Ilheus Itabuna,Km 22, BR-45604811 Ilheus, BA, Brazil - Author

Univ Fed Rural Pernambuco, Serra Talhada Acad Unit, BR-56909535 Serra Talhada, PE, Brazil - Author

Univ Fed Sul Bahia, Ctr Formacao Ciencias Agroflorestais, BR 415,Km 29, BR-45613204 Ilheus, BA, Brazil - Author

Univ Fed Uberlandia, BR-38408100 Uberlandia, Brazil - Author

Univ Ghent, Dept Forest & Water Management, Lab Wood Technol, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium - Author

Univ Goettingen, Albrecht Haller Inst Plant Sci, Plant Ecol, Untere Karspule 2, D-37073 Gottingen, Germany - Author

Univ Goettingen, Albrecht Von Haller Inst Plant Sci, Dept Plant Ecol & Ecosyst Res, D-37077 Gottingen, Germany - Author

Univ Leon, Fac Ciencias Biol & Ambientales, Dept Biodivers & Gest Ambiental, Area Ecol, Leon 24071, Spain - Author

Univ Liege, Gembloux Agro Biotech, TERRA Teaching & Res Ctr, B-5030 Gembloux, Belgium - Author

Univ Los Andes, Lab Ecol Bosques Trop & Primatol, Bogota 111711, Colombia - Author

Univ Los Andes, Lab Ecol Bosques Trop & Primatol, Bogota 111711, DC, Colombia - Author

Univ Maine, Ctr Res Sustainable Forests, Orono, ME 04469 USA - Author

Univ Melbourne, Dept Forest & Ecosyst Sci, Melbourne, Vic 3010, Australia - Author

Univ Melbourne, Sch Agr Food & Ecosyst Sci, Burnley Campus, Richmond, Vic 3121, Australia - Author

Univ Melbourne, Sch Geog Earth & Atmospher Sci, Carlton, Vic 3053, Australia - Author

Univ Montpellier, BioWooEB, Cirad, F-34398 Montpellier, France - Author

Univ Montpellier, IRD, CIRAD, CNRS,INRAE,AMAP, F-34398 Montpellier, France - Author

Univ Montpellier, LMGC, CNRS, F-34090 Montpellier, France - Author

Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Circuito Invest Cient, Inst Geol, Mexico City 04510, Mexico - Author

Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Dept Bot, Inst Biol, Mexico City 04510, Mexico - Author

Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Ecol, Lab Nacl Ciencias Sostenibil, Tercer Circuito Snde Ciudad Univ, Mexico City 04510, Mexico - Author

Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Lab Nacl Geoquim & Mineral, Circuito Invest Cient, Mexico City 04510, Mexico - Author

Univ Nacl Cordoba, CONICET, Inst Multidisciplinario Biol Vegetal IMBIV, Edificio Invest Cient & Tecn,Ave Velez Sarsfield 1, Cordoba, Argentina - Author

Univ Namibia, Dept Wildlife Management & Tourism Studies, Katima Mulilo Campus, Ngweze 1096, Katima Mulilo, Namibia - Author

Univ New South Wales, Evolut & Ecol Res Ctr, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia - Author

Univ New South Wales, Fac Sci, Sch Biol Earth & Environm Sci, Evolut & Ecol Res Ctr, Sydney, NSW 2033, Australia - Author

Univ New South Wales, Sch Biol Earth & Environm Sci, Sydney, NSW 2033, Australia - Author

Univ Oxford, Dept Biol, Oxford OX1 3EL, England - Author

Univ Oxford, Pembroke Coll, Oxford OX1 1DW, England - Author

Univ Panama, Inst Ciencias Ambientales & Biodivers, Estafeta Univ, Panama City, Panama - Author

Univ Paris Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR SayFood, F-91120 Palaiseau, France - Author

Univ Politecn Madrid, Escuela Tecn Super Ingn Montes, Dept Sistemas & Recursos Nat, Madrid 28040, Spain - Author

Univ Potsdam, Fac Sci, Inst Biochem & Biol, Biodivers Res & Systemat Bot, D-14469 Potsdam, Germany - Author

Univ Queensland, Sch Environm, St Lucia, Qld 4067, Australia - Author

Univ Reun, UMR PVBMT, F-97410 St Pierre, France - Author

Univ Ryukyus, Fac Sci, Nishihara, Okinawa 9030129, Japan - Author

Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Biol, ESALQ, Ave Padua Dias 11, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, Brazil - Author

Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biociencias, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil - Author

Univ Sheffield, Dept Anim & Plant Sci, Sheffield S1 4DE, England - Author

Univ Talca, Direcc Invest Vicerrectoria Acad, Campus Lircay, Talca 3460000, Chile - Author

Univ Tarty, Inst Ecol & Earth Sci, EE-50409 Tartu, Estonia - Author

Univ Texas Austin, Jackson Sch Geosci, Dept Earth & Planetary Sci, Austin, TX 78712 USA - Author

Univ Tolima GIBDET, Ibague 730006299, Tolima, Colombia - Author

Univ Toronto Scarborough, Dept Phys & Environm Sci, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada - Author

UPS, Ctr Rech Biodivers & Environm CRBE, UMR 5300,CNRS, IRD,TINP,UT3, F-31062 Toulouse 9, France - Author

Virginia Tech, Dept Forest Resources & Environm Conservat, 319E Cheatham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA - Author

Wageningen Univ & Res, Forest Ecol & Forest Management Grp, NL-6708 Wageningen, Netherlands - Author

Western Sydney Univ, Hawkesbury Inst Environm, Richmond, NSW 2753, Australia - Author

Wildlife Conservat Soc, Tanzania Country Program, Nat Based Solut, POB 5196, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania - Author

Abstract

Wood density is central for estimating vegetation carbon storage and a plant functional trait of great ecological and evolutionary importance. However, the global extent of wood density variation is unclear, especially at the intraspecific level. We assembled the most comprehensive wood density collection to date, including 109 626 records from 16 829 plant species across woody life forms and biomes (GWDD v.2, available here: doi: ). Using the GWDD v.2, we explored the sources of wood density variation within individuals, within species and across environmental gradients. Intraspecific variation accounted for c. 15% of overall wood density variation (SD = 0.068 g cm(-3)). Variance was 50% smaller in sapwood than heartwood, and 30% smaller in branchwood than trunkwood. Individuals in extreme environments (dry, hot and acidic soils) had higher wood density than conspecifics elsewhere (+0.02 g cm(-3), c. 4% of the mean). Intraspecific environmental effects strongly tracked interspecific patterns (r = 0.83) but were 70-80% smaller and varied considerably among taxa. Individual plant wood density was difficult to predict (root mean square error > 0.08 g cm(-3); single-measurement R-2 = 0.59). We recommend (1) systematic sampling of multiple individuals and tissues for local applications, and (2) expanded taxonomic coverage combined with integrative models for robust estimates across ecological scales.

[+]

Keywords

Aboveground biomassAridityBiomassBranch woodForest biomassFunctional traitFunctional traitsGravityHierarchical modellingIntraspecific variationMetaanalysisMortalityRadial variationTreeWood densityXylem

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal NEW PHYTOLOGIST due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2026, it was in position 12/273, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Plant Sciences. Notably, the journal is positioned above the 90th percentile.

[+]

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: Argentina; Australia; Austria; Belgium; Brazil; Canada; Chad; Chile; Colombia; Estonia; France; Germany; Greece; India; Italy; Japan; Madagascar; Mexico; Namibia; Netherlands; New Zealand; Panama; Sweden; Tanzania; Ukraine; United Kingdom; United States of America.

[+]

Awards linked to the item

FJF acknowledges a European Research Council grant to RupertSeidl under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research andinnovation programme (grant agreement no.: 101001905, FOR-WARD). JC acknowledges an 'Investissement d'Avenir' grantmanaged by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (CEBA grant:ANR-10-LABX-25-01 and TULIP grant: ANR-10-LABX-0041).TJ acknowledges a UK NERC Independent Research Fellowship(grant: NE/S01537X/1), UKRI Frontier Research grant (grant:EP/Y003810/1) and a Research Project Grant from the Lever-hulme Trust (grant: RPG-2020-341). AF acknowledges Anid-Fondecyt 1231025. RAFL acknowledges a grant by S ao PauloResearch Foundation (FAPESP), Brazil (process no.: 13/08722-5).GV acknowledges the French Foundation for Research onBiodiversity (BIOSCENEMADA project). LFA acknowledges aSmithsonian Tropical Research Institution, Center for TropicalForest Science (CTFS) Research Grant (2009). AB acknowledgesthe Ministry of Science and Education of Ukraine (projects no.:0125U000682, 0122U001813) and the Austrian Agency forInternational Cooperation in Education and Research, OeAD-GmbH (grant number UA 08/2017, UA 08/2018, UA07/2020). JB acknowledges the village councils of Kiphire (Fakim,Thanamir and Tsundang village), Phek (Zhipu, Wazeho andWashelo village) and Kohima (Dzuleke village) district, Nagaland,India. JC acknowledges the Spanish Ministry of Science andInnovation (project nos.: PID2021-123675OB-C43 andTED2021-129770B-C21). JAD acknowledges the AnusandhanNational Research Foundation (ANRF), Government of India, forfunding (Ref. No.: SRG/2022/002286) and SRM University-APfor the Seed Grant (SRMAP/URG/E&PP/2022-23/012). AKDacknowledges a research project grant from the Council ofScientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi (Government ofIndia, project no.: 38(1349)/13/EMR-II dt.14.2.2013). PFacknowledges the National Council for Scientific and Technolo-gical Development (CNPq 12450/2021-4, 406941/2022-0), theFoundation for the Support of Research in the State of Amazonas(FAPEAM: 01.02.016301.02529/2024-87) and the BrazilianResearch Network on Climate Change (RedeClima;FINEP/RedeClima01.13.0353-00).SKacknowledges theScienceand Engineering Research Board, Department of Science andTechnology (DST-SERB; Ref. No.: PDF/2021/003742/LS). AL,MD and LK acknowledge funding by German Research Founda-tion (DFG) through funding codes CRC TRR-228/1 and TRR-228/2, and thank the Universityof Namibia (UNAM) as well astheNational Botanical Research Institute Windhoek for their support.ALAL acknowledges the National Council for Scientific andTechnological Development (CNPq). Pernambuco Science andTechnology Support Foundation (FACEPE). CM-N acknowl-edges a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship from the Royal SocietyTe Aparangi RDF-UOA1504; Marsden Fund Award from theRoyal Society Te Aparangi UOA1207. LFSM acknowledges theConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient & imath;fico e Tecnol ogico(CNPq) (grant: 307984/2022-2). AM acknowledges the NaturalSciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. AMacknowledges a NSF EAR Hydrological Sciences CAREER Award2046768. EN acknowledges the National Institute for Research inAmazonia (INPA). OR acknowledges the Madagascar NationalParks and the Malagasy Ministry of Environment for researchpermission, and numerous local field workers. SR acknowledgesthe Strategic Science Investment Fund administered by the NZMinistry for Business, Innovation and Employment. OR-Racknowledges the Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Biodiversi-dad, Universidad de Panama; Sistema Nacional de Investigaci onPanama; STRI Panama. RS-G acknowledges a NERC Indepen-dent Research Fellowship (NE/M018458/1) and a NERC PushingtheFrontiersgrant (NE/X013766/1).LFH-Dand PSacknowledgeEcopetrol No.: 135-2009. MS acknowledges a Veni grant from theDutch Research Council (NWO), NWO-VI.Veni.192.027.JMDT acknowledges a grant from the Brazilian science council(CNPq PELD 441510/2020-5). In addition, we thank JordiMart & imath;nez-Vilalta and Teresa Rosas for their data contributions,supported by CGL2013-46808-R grant funded by MINECO, andDmitry Schepaschenko for his contributions to the database andfacilitating the coordination among contributors.

[+]

Indexed in

License and Use

Altmetrics

Analysis of institutional authors

Share

Beyond species means - the intraspecific contribution to global wood density variation

Affiliations

Abstract

Keywords

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

Impact and social visibility

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

Awards linked to the item