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