Abstract
The dynamies of small openings in a hemlock–hardwood stand at the Harvard Forest, Petersham, Massachusetts, were studied. Rates of lateral growth of canopy tree species into openings ranged from 6 to 14 cm/year with a maximum of 26. Red oak (Quercusrubra L.) (RO) had the highest rate of lateral expansion. In small openings (r < 0.25 × tree height), regenerating species ranked by rate of height growth were as follows: black birch (Betulatenta L.) (BB) > red maple (Acerrubrum L.) (RM) > yellow birch (B. alleghaniensis Britton) (YB) > hemlock (Tsugacanadensis (L.)Carr.) (HK) = red oak; in moderate size openings (r = 0.25 to 0.5 × tree height), the ranking was birches = RM > RO > HK; in open grown even-aged stands, the ranking was RO > BB = RM = YB > paper birch (B. papyrifera Marsh.) [Formula: see text] HK. A comparison of rates of height growth with opening closure rates indicates that tree reproduction is not successful in openings of less than about 0.5 × tree height in diameter. This is primarily because small openings close quickly by lateral growth of the surrounding canopy trees and is not simply a factor of changes in rates of height growth with opening size.
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