Plant Traits and Species Turnover

Abstract

Density. Individuals of many species multiply their shoots every year. In the first period of their life shoots grow close to one another, and are as a rule tall and covered with a large number of leaves. Increased shoot densities, and the resultant shading of the polycormonal areas impede the production of renewal buds, and thereby restrict the production of new shoots and root-stock segments. In such situations it is only on their peripheries that polycormones still continue to grow, unless neighboured by species with similar morphological properties. If, however, the spreading rate of polycormones is not limited by competitors, then after some time, fragments that are most distant from the necrosing centre detach and become independent (Figure 3.5). Their structure is at first loose, but several (3–5) years later the area again appears to be filled with numerous shoots, and the same growth type and veget division occurs as those peculiar to the parent organism from which they took their origin.