Abstract
The form of tropical trees was studied with reference to the production structure of the component individuals of a tropical rain forest stand in Sebulu, East Kalimantan in Indonesian Borneo, since the production structure as a physical or bio-economical basis of tree form still remains obscure in tropical rain forests. The pipe model theory successfully explained the crown shapes of different trees, and its parameter, designated as specific pipe length, suggested an increase in the cost of leaf mass growth with an increase in crown size. A mathematical model consisting of exponential functions of aboveground height was applied for describing stem form, and its properties were examined through changes in its coefficients and by adopting an assumption of the geometrical similarity of individual stem form as a criterion for comparing differences in stem form among individual trees. Furthermore, the cost of buttersses was discussed using the relation between bole- and buttress weight calculated from the mathematical model.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ashton, P. S. (1978) Crown characteristics of tropical trees. “Tropical trees as living systems” (ed. Tomlinson, P. B. & Zimmermann, M. H.), 591–615. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge.
Cobble, M. H. (1971) The shape of plant stems. Amer. Midland Naturalist86: 371–378.
Fisher, J. B. (1978) A quantitative study of Terminaria branching. “Tropical trees as living systems” (ed. Tomlinson, P. B. & Zimmermann, M. H.), 285–320. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge.
Glass, N. R. (1967) A technique for fitting models with non-linear parameters to biological data. Ecology48: 1010–1013.
Hallé, F. (1978) Architecture variation at the specific level in tropical trees. “Tropical trees as living systems” (ed. Tomlinson, P. B. & Zimmermann, M. H.), 209–221. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge.
—,Oldeman, R. A. A. &Tomlinson P. B. (1978) Tropical trees and forests. 441 pp Springer Verlag, Berlin.
Hartig, R. (1882) Über den Beginn und den Schluss der Jharring Bildung der Baume in den Verschiedenen Baumhohen. Flora64: 118–124.
—. (1892) Über den Entwicklungsgang der Fichte im geschlossenen Bestande nach Hohe, Form und Inhart, Forstlich-naturwissenschaftliche Zeitschrift1: 169–185.
Henwood, K. (1973) A structural model of forces in butterssed tropical rain forest trees. Biotropica5: 83–93.
Honda, H. (1971) Description of the form of trees by the parameters of the tree-like body: effect of branching angle and branch length of the shape of tree-like body. J. Theor. Biol.31: 331–338.
— &Fisher, J. B. (1978) Tree branch angle: maximizing effective leaf area. Science, N.Y.199: 888–890.
—,Tomlinson, P. B. &Fisher, J. B. (1982) Two geometrical models of branching of botanical trees. Ann. Bot.49: 1–11.
Horn, H. S. (1971) The adaptive geometry of trees. 144 pp. Princeton Unive. Prss, Princeton.
Kajihara, M. (1975) Studies on the morphology and dimensions of tree crowns in even-aged stand of Sugi 1. Crown form. J. Jap. For. Soc.57: 425–431 (In Japanese with English summary).
— (1983) Studies on the relative stem-form and its application for estimating stem volume 1. Mechanism and trend of the change of relative stem form. J. Jap. For. Soc.65: 82–88 (In Japanese with English summary).
Kira, T. &Ogawa, H. (1971) Assessment of primary production in tropical and equatorial forests. “Proceedings of the Brussels symposium organized by Unesco and the IBP (27–31 Oct. 1969)” (ed. Duvigneaud, P.), 309–321. Unesco, Paris.
—,Shinozaki, K. &Hozumi, K. (1969) Structure of forest canopies as related to their primary productivity. Plant & Cell Biol.10: 129–142.
Larson, P. R. (1963) Stem form development of forest trees. For. Sci.9, Monogr.5: 1–42.
Leopold, L. B. (1971) Trees and streams: efficiency of branching patterns. J. Theor. Biol.31: 339–354.
McMahon, T. A. &Kronauer, R. (1976) Tree structures: deducing the principle of mechanical design. J. Theor. Biol.59: 443–446.
Monsi, M. &Saeki, T. (1953) Über den Lichtfactor in den Pflanzengesellshaften und seine Bedeutng für die Stoffproduction. Jap. J. Bot.14: 22–52.
Nagano, M. &Kira, T. (1978) Aboveground biomass. “Biological production in a warm-temperate evergreen oak forest of Japan, JIBP Synthesis 18” (ed. Kira, T., Ono, Y. & Hosokawa, T.), 69–82. Univ. of Tokyo Press, Tokyo.
Oohata, S. (1986) Some quantitative analysis of tree form: further extensions to the pipe model theory. “Crown and canopy structure in relation to productivity” (ed. T. Fujimori & D. Whitehead), 159–171. For. & For. Prod. Res. Inst., Ibaraki.
— &Shidei, T. (1971) Studies on the branching structure of trees 1. Bifurcation ratio of trees on Horton's law. Jap. J. Ecol.21: 7–14.
— &Shinozaki, K. (1979) A statistical model of plant form: further analysis of the pipe model theory. Jap. J. Ecol.29: 323–335.
Philipson, W. R. (1978) Araliaceae: growth forms and shoot morphology. “Tropical trees as living systems” (ed. Tomlinson, P. B. & Zimmermann, M. H.), 269–283. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge.
Pickett, S. T. A. &Kempf, J. S. (1980) Branching patterns in forest shrubs and understory trees in relation to habitat. New Phytol.86: 219–228.
Pressler, M. R. (1864) Das Gesets der Stammbildung. 153 pp. Arnoldische Buchhandlung, Leipzig.
Richards, P. W. (1952) The tropical rain forest: An ecological study. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, (reprinted version with corrections, 1976).
Saeki, T. &Kuroiwa, S. (1959) On the establishment of the vertical distribution of photosynthetic system in a plant community. Bot. Mag. Tokyo72: 27–35.
Shinozaki, K. &Kira, T. (1977) Canopy structure and light utilization. “Primary productivity of Japanese forests, Productivity of terrestrial communities, JIBP Synthesis 16” (ed. Shidei, T. & Kira, T.), 75–86. Univ. of Tokyo Press, Tokyo.
—,Yoda, K., Hozumi, K. &Kira, T. (1964a) A quantitative analysis of plant form: the pipe model theory I. Basic analyses. Jap. J. Ecol.14: 97–105.
————. (1964b) A quantitative analysis of plant form: the pipe model theory. 2. Further analyses of the theory and its application in forest ecology. Jap. J. Ecol.14: 133–139.
Symington, C. F. (1943) Forester's manual of dipterocarpus. Malayan Forest Records 16. 244 pp. (Reprinted by Penerbit Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 1974).
Tomlinson, P. B. (1978) Branching and axis differentiation in tropical trees. “Tropical trees as living systems” (ed. Tomlinson, P. B. & Zimmermann, P. B.), 187–221. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge.
Veillon, J. M. (1978) Architecture of the New Caledonian species of Araucaria. “Tropical trees as living systems”, (ed. Tomlinson, P. B. & Zimmermann, M. H.), 233–245. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge.
Veres, J. S. &Pickett, S. T. A. (1982) Branching patterns of Lindera benzoin beneath gaps and closed canopies. New Phytol.91: 767–772.
Watanabe, M. &Oohata, S. (1980) Studies on bamboo culm form (I). On Phyllostachys bambusoides Sieb. et Zucc. J. Jap. For. Soc.62: 9–16.
Whitmore, T. C. (1984) Tropical rain forests of the Far East, 2nd ed. 352 pp. Clarendon Press, Oxford.
Yamakura, T., Hagihara, A., Sukardjo, S. &Ogawa, H. (1986) Tree size in a mature dipterocarp forest stand in Sebulu, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, Tonan Ajia Kenkyu (Southeast Asian Studies)23: 452–478.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
About this article
Cite this article
Yamakura, T., Hagihara, A., Sukardjo, S. et al. Tree form in a mixed dipterocarp forest in Indonesian Borneo. Ecol. Res. 2, 215–227 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02349775
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02349775