Why trees and shrubs but rarely trubs?

Marten Scheffer; Remi Vergnon; J Hans C Cornelissen; Stijn Hantson; Milena Holmgren; Egbert H van Nes; Chi Xu

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2014.06.001

Why trees and shrubs but rarely trubs?

Trends Ecol Evol. 2014 Aug;29(8):433-4. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2014.06.001. Epub 2014 Jun 17.

Authors

Marten Scheffer¹, Remi Vergnon², J Hans C Cornelissen³, Stijn Hantson⁴, Milena Holmgren⁵, Egbert H van Nes⁶, Chi Xu⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, NL-6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: marten.scheffer@gmail.com.
² Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, NL-6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands; Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
³ Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
⁴ Department of Geography and Geology, University of Alcala, C/Colegios 2, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
⁵ Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, NL-6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
⁶ Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, NL-6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
⁷ Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, NL-6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands; School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing 210093, P.R. China.

PMID: 24951396
DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2014.06.001

Abstract

An analysis of the maximum height of woody plant species across the globe reveals that an intermediate size is remarkably rare. We speculate that this may be due to intrinsic suboptimality or to ecosystem bistability with open landscapes favouring shrubs, and closed canopies propelling trees to excessive tallness.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Ecosystem
Plant Development / physiology*
Plant Physiological Phenomena*
Trees / growth & development*