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Self‐thinning of plant populations from a dynamic viewpoint
Author(s) -
Roderick M. L.,
Barnes B.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
functional ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.272
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2435
pISSN - 0269-8463
DOI - 10.1111/j.0269-8463.2004.00832.x
Subject(s) - thinning , exponent , expression (computer science) , statistical physics , constant (computer programming) , trajectory , state (computer science) , mathematics , statistics , biology , physics , ecology , computer science , algorithm , quantum mechanics , philosophy , linguistics , programming language
Summary1 In this paper a new formulation of the self‐thinning law for plant populations is presented, based on dynamical principles. The basis of the new approach is explicitly to separate the equation of state (total = mean × number) from the change in state (δtotal = mean × δnumber + number × δmean). 2 Using the dynamical approach, an analytical expression for the self‐thinning exponent is derived which shows that the self‐thinning exponent follows a trajectory, but whenever the total is constant the self‐thinning exponent must, by definition, = −1. Conversely, whenever the total varies the self‐thinning exponent must, by definition, differ from −1. The underlying general principles of self‐thinning trajectories are deduced. 3 The new dynamic interpretations are general because they are independent of the details about how the changes in the number and mean occurred. 4 The theory is demonstrated using a typical self‐thinning experiment.