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Wind shapes the growth strategies of trees in a tropical forest
  • +5
  • Tobias Jackson,
  • Paulo Bittencourt,
  • Jakob Poffley,
  • Juliet Anderson,
  • Helene Muller-Landau,
  • Pablo Ramos,
  • Lucy Rowland,
  • David Coomes
Tobias Jackson
University of Cambridge

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Paulo Bittencourt
University of Exeter School of Geography Archaeology and Earth Resources
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Jakob Poffley
University of Cambridge
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Juliet Anderson
University of Cambridge
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Helene Muller-Landau
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
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Pablo Ramos
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
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Lucy Rowland
University of Exeter
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David Coomes
University of Cambridge
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Abstract

In tropical forests, trees strategically balance growth patterns to optimize fitness amid multiple environmental stressors. Wind poses the primary risk to a tree’s mechanical stability, prompting developments such as thicker trunks to withstand the bending forces. Therefore, a trade-off in resource allocation exists between diameter growth and vertical growth to compete for light. We explore this trade-off by measuring the relative wind mortality risk for 96 trees in a tropical forest in Panama and testing how it varies with tree size, species and wind exposure. Surprisingly, local wind exposure and tree size had minimal impact on wind mortality risk; instead, species wood density emerged as the crucial factor. Low wood density species exhibited a significantly greater wind mortality risk, suggesting a prioritization of competition for light over biomechanical stability. Our study highlights the pivotal role of wind safety in shaping the life-history strategy of trees and structuring diverse tropical forests.
21 Mar 2024Submitted to Ecology Letters
04 Jun 2024Submission Checks Completed
04 Jun 2024Assigned to Editor
02 Jul 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
11 Jul 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
18 Jul 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
18 Jul 20242nd Revision Received
19 Jul 2024Submission Checks Completed
19 Jul 2024Assigned to Editor
19 Jul 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
20 Aug 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
20 Aug 20243rd Revision Received
20 Aug 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
21 Aug 2024Submission Checks Completed
21 Aug 2024Assigned to Editor
21 Aug 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
05 Sep 2024Editorial Decision: Accept