Crown plasticity enables trees to optimize canopy packing in mixed-species forests

• Published in: Functional ecology Vol. 29; no. 8; pp. 1078 - 1086
• Main Authors: Jucker, Tommaso, Bouriaud, Olivier, Coomes, David A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Wiley 01.08.2015; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: allometry; biodiversity and ecosystem function; biogeochemical cycles; Canopies; canopy; canopy space filling; crown architecture; crown volume; Ecosystems ecology; Europe; Forest ecosystems; forest types; Forests; FunDivEUROPE project; intraspecific variation; Mixed forests; mixing; Monoculture; Morphology; Nutrient cycles; Packing; Plastic properties; Plasticity; species diversity; Species richness; Terrestrial ecosystems; Trees; Vertical distribution; vertical stratification; Europe

Summary It has been suggested that diverse forests utilize canopy space more efficiently than species‐poor ones, as mixing species with complementary architectural and physiological traits allows trees to pack more densely. However, whether positive canopy packing–diversity relationships are a gener...