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Tree growth is related to light interception and wood density in two mixed dipterocarp forests of Malaysia

  1. D. A. KING1,*,
  2. S. J. DAVIES1,
  3. M. N. NUR SUPARDI2,
  4. S. TAN3

Article first published online: 13 JUN 2005

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2005.00982.x

Issue

Functional Ecology

Functional Ecology

Volume 19, Issue 3, pages 445–453, June 2005

Additional Information

How to Cite

KING, D. A., DAVIES, S. J., SUPARDI, M. N. N. and TAN, S. (2005), Tree growth is related to light interception and wood density in two mixed dipterocarp forests of Malaysia. Functional Ecology, 19: 445–453. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2005.00982.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Center for Tropical Forest Science − Arnold Arboretum Asia Program, Harvard University, 22 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA,

  2. 2

    Forest Management and Conservation Division, Forest Research Institute, Malaysia, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur 52109,

  3. 3

    Sarawak Forestry Corporation, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

* †Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: dkingaz@yahoo.com

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 24 JUN 2005
  2. Article first published online: 13 JUN 2005
  3. Received 2 September 2004; revised 18 January 2005; accepted 16 February 2005

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Keywords:

  • crown area;
  • tree architecture;
  • tropical forest

Summary

  • 1
    The development of simple predictors of tree growth is important in understanding forest dynamics. For this purpose, tree height, crown width in two perpendicular directions, trunk diameter at 1·3 m height (d.b.h.) and crown illumination index (CI) were determined for 727 pole-sized trees (8–20 cm d.b.h.) of 21 species, on forest dynamics plots at Pasoh Forest Reserve, Peninsular Malaysia and Lambir Hills National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia. A light-interception index (LI = AcrCI2, where Acr is crown area) was calculated for each tree, and wood density (stem wood dry mass/fresh volume) was estimated for each species from reported values.
  • 2
    Diameter growth rates were linearly correlated with LI (mean per species r2 = 0·45, excluding substantially damaged and vine-covered trees).
  • 3
    Among trees of all species, diameter growth rate was highly correlated with LI/wood density.
  • 4
    Mean growth rate per species varied 10-fold among the study species, but increased linearly with mean LI/wood density ratio (r2 = 0·78), consistent with the previous pattern.
  • 5
    Thus much of the variability in tree growth rates, both within and among species, can be accounted for by the simple mechanistic assumption that, within a given size class, growth is proportional to light interception/wood density.
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