Growing space and growth factor gradients
Controlling disturbances is how we control competition
Competition
• Growth factors
• Consider light and water (aboveground and belowground)
GROWING TOGETHER
DRY SOIL DRY SOIL
DRY SOIL
MESIC SOIL MESIC SOIL
MESIC SOIL
VIRGINIA PINETULIP POPLAR
Light
• PAR–Photosynthetically Active Radiation
• Sun foliage/ shade foliage
• Shade tolerance
20%
LIGHT
0%
PsSun foliage
Shade foliage
20%
LIGHT
0%
Ps
Sun foliage
Shade foliage
Shade Tolerance
Ps
Light
Shade tolerant
Shade intolerant
Water
• Input
• Soil
• Stomates
Perc
ent S
oil W
ater
Heaviness of Texture
Field Capacity Available Water
Unavailable Water
From Brady, 1974
Growing Space• Sunlight
• Water
• Nutrients
• Physical space
• Total growing space
• Available growing space
1200 TPH
640 TPH
250 TPH
Total growing space
• Depends on time and place
– Macro and Micro conditions
Available Growing Space
• Grow
• Regeneration
Thinned
Unthinned
LatewoodEarlywood
No Available Growing Space
• Repartition
• Competition