How the Concepts of Traditional Stand Dynamics Might Be Used for More Complex Stands

Abstract

The concept of growing space represents the integration of all growthfactors (e.g., light, water, nutrients and physical space) required for trees to establishand grow. It is based on the notion that at any time growth can be restrictedby any number of different factors, and it is often impossible to discern exactly what the specific limiting factor is. Over time, the concept has been a powerfulheuristic framework for understanding competition as a driver of the developmentof even-age stands, but it also helped the understanding of stand dynamics afterpartial disturbances. Because the concept of growing space was so simplistic,concerns arose over its limitations for stands with more complex structures, suchas mixed species. We propose here an expanded concept of growing space in orderto explain more complex situations and include some illustrative examples, which may include niche differentiation and facilitation. Our expansion adds categories of growing space (used, controlled-unused, and inaccessible) which sum to total growing space. This expansion of the traditional concept of growing space may beuseful to help frame current discussions on how stand development models based primarily on competition can be modified to include other ecological processes suchas facilitation.