When Short Stature Is an Asset in Trees

With their imposing grandeur, the small number of very tall tree species attract a disproportionate amount of scientific study. We right this bias by focusing here on the shorter trees, which often grow in the shade of the giants and many other places besides. That tall trees are so restricted in distribution indicates that there are far more habitats available for small trees. We discuss some leading candidates for the mechanisms that limit maximum plant height in any given habitat, as well as why every habitat has a range of plant sizes. At least two attributes - greater adaptation capacity and higher drought resistance - suggest that the forests of the future belong to short trees.