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Tree shape plasticity in relation to crown exposure
Author
Degi Harja, Gregoire Vincent, Rachmat Mulia and Meine van Noordwijk
Year
2012
Journal Title
Trees
Institution
Springer-Verlag
Pages
1-11
Call Number
JA0437-12
Keywords
Tree height, Crown shape, Humid tropics, Wood density, Allometry
Abstract:
Trees outside closed forest stands differ in the
relation between stem diameter, height and crown volume
from trees that grew with neighbours close by. Whether
this plasticity in tree shape varies between species in
relation to their light requirement is unknown. We purposefully
sampled 528 trees ranging 5–100 cm diameter at
breast height growing in a range of light conditions. Across
ten broad-leaved species observed in Sumatra or Kalimantan,
a generic relationship was found between light
exposure of the crown and a light-dependent al parameter
that modifies the height–diameter allometric equation
(H = alDb) from those for closed stands. In our results,
vertical stretching is well predicted by light availability. In
fully open conditions, trees are on average 31% shorter for
the same diameter than under (partial) shade. Most of the
stretching response occurs in all species as soon as some
degree of lateral shading occurs. The response, however,
varies by species (8–44% reduction) in a way apparently
unrelated to species’ successional status. Crown volume
varied less than stem height in its relationship with stem
diameter across all light conditions tested. The scaling of
crown volume with stem diameter, however, differed
markedly between tree species.
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