Journal
OECOLOGIA
Volume 169, Issue 3, Pages 637-649Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s00442-011-2240-5
Keywords
Structural allometry; Euclidian geometry; Metabolic scaling theory; Fractal dimension; Self-thinning
Categories
Funding
- German Science Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) [Sonderforschungsbereich SFB 607]
- Bavarian State Ministry for Nutrition, Agriculture and Forestry [W 07]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
General scaling rules or constants for metabolic and structural plant allometry as assumed by the theory of Euclidian geometric scaling (2/3-scaling) or metabolic scaling (3/4-scaling) may meet human's innate propensity for simplicity and generality of pattern and processes in nature. However, numerous empirical works show that variability of crown structure rather than constancy is essential for a tree's success in coping with crowding. In order to link theory and empiricism, we analyzed the intra- and inter-specific scaling of crown structure for 52 tree species. The basis is data from 84 long-term plots of temperate monospecific forests under survey since 1870 and a set of 126 yield tables of angiosperm and gymnosperm forest tree species across the world. The study draws attention to (1) the intra-specific variation and correlation of the three scaling relationships: tree height versus trunk diameter, crown cross-sectional area versus trunk diameter, and tree volume versus trunk diameter, and their dependence on competition, (2) the inter-specific variation and correlation of the same scaling exponents ( and ) across 52 tree species, and (3) the relevance of the revealed variable scaling of crown structure for leaf organs and metabolic scaling. Our results arrive at suggesting a more extended metabolic theory of ecology which includes variability and covariation between allometric relationships as prerequisite for the individual plant's competitiveness.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available