Bamboo has great potential in restoring degraded lands while providing multiple environmental benefits and harvestable products at regular intervals due to its unique characteristics of rapid growth. However, a comprehensive and species-specific knowledge of biomass productivity, nutrient dynamics, and potential harvest-induced nutrient losses is lacking. This study compared the biomass and nutrient dynamics of four bamboo species Bambusa oldhamii Munro, Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro, Bambusa tulda Roxburgh, and Dendrocalamus brandisii (Munro) Kurz in Northern Thailand. Field measurements, laboratory analyses, and statistical modeling were used to estimate their aboveground biomass (AGB), nutrient use efficiency (NUE), and nutrient stocks. Culm diameter at breast height (DBH) and age were identified as the most reliable predictors of AGB. The study revealed that D. brandisii had superior productivity and NUE compared to the other species, particularly the introduced non-native bamboo species. These findings emphasize the need for species-specific strategies that consider both biomass productivity and nutrient dynamics. Furthermore, D. brandisii can be suggested as a native candidate for bamboo plantations in Northern Thailand and similar environments, given its high productivity and efficient nutrient use, underpinning its potential contribution to environmental rehabilitation and rural livelihoods. However, more research is required to minimize nutrient losses and maintain a productive age structure.

Fast-growing tree species, including Eucalyptus sp. and Acacia sp., are widely used to rehabilitate degraded tropical forestland quickly, while mitigating climate change. However, the extent of carbon losses through soil respiration (R_S) often remains unknown. Moreover, the promotion of these non-native species has raised concerns over their impact on other ecosystem services, including N₂-fixation-induced soil acidification and nutrient cycling. This study compared two non-native and native species, with one of each being N₂-fixing, growing in 11-year-old monospecific plantations in NE Thailand. Hourly R_S was measured monthly over one year and combined with stand characteristics, as well as soil microclimatic and chemical properties. Mixed-effects models were used to capture this hierarchical, diurnal, and seasonal dataset. R_S rates were influenced by soil temperature and moisture following a parabolic relation, and negatively affected by acidity. Overall, R_S varied significantly according to species-specific microclimates and productivity. Despite the high input of organic matter, non-native species failed to ameliorate extreme soil moisture or temperature; limiting microbial decomposition and reducing R_S. Hopea odorata produced moderate levels of carbon sequestration, but maintained soil fertility. The choice of tree species can significantly affect carbon sequestration and storage, as well as nutrient cycling, and careful species selection could optimize these ecosystem services.