A review of the growth behaviour of stands and trees in even-aged, monospecific forest

Abstract

Key message

Metabolic, physiological and inter-tree competitive processes interact to determine long-term growth behaviour of stands and individual trees of even-aged, monospecific forests.

Context

Even-aged, monospecific forests go through an initial phase from seedling establishment to full canopy development, then follows a progressive decline in growth rate, leading eventually to tree senescence and death. Individual trees show a relationship between their maximum possible growth rates and their sizes (hence ages), maxima that show a progressive decline as the trees grow larger. Growth rates are further restricted by competition with their neighbours for access from the site to the light, water and mineral nutrients essential to their growth. To ensure they remain standing upright and can access the resources they need, trees must maintain a balance between the sizes of both their above- and below-ground parts.

Aims

This review aimed to summarise what is known about the various biological factors that control these growth processes, both at the stand and individual tree levels.

Conclusions

The principal factors determining growth behaviour are species characteristics, environmental circumstances of the site on which the forest is growing, availability from the site of the resources essential to growth, sizes (hence ages) of individual trees, competition between neighbours for growth resources and partitioning of growth between the parts of individuals to maintain an appropriate balance between their sizes.