Less is more: Effects of competition reduction and facilitation on intra-annual (basal area) growth of mature European beech

• Published in: Trees (Berlin, West) Vol. 34; no. 1; pp. 17 - 36
• Main Authors: Metz, Jérôme, Annighöfer, Peter, Westekemper, Katharina, Schall, Peter, Schulze, Ernst-Detlef, Ammer, Christian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.02.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; Beech; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Competition; dendrometers; Fagus sylvatica; Fagus sylvatica subsp. sylvatica; Forestry; Germany; Growing season; Growth curves; Growth patterns; Growth rate; Impact analysis; Interspecific; interspecific competition; Life Sciences; Mathematical analysis; Monoculture; Neighborhoods; Original Article; Parameter estimation; Pine trees; Pinus sylvestris; Plant Anatomy/Development; Plant Pathology; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Reduction; Species; stem elongation; trees; Weibull statistics; wood; Germany; Competition; Mixing effects; Electronic dendrometer; Intra-annual growth dynamics; Beech

Key Message Species-specific neighborhood identity effects such as competition reduction or facilitation can positively influence growth patterns of Fagus sylvatica at a given site, but are not strong enough to overcome fundamental growth–environment interactions of European beech. Competition and g...