Trees Of Different Sizes Research Articles

Hierarchical Modeling of Street Trees Using Mobile Laser Scanning

This paper proposes a novel method to reconstruct hierarchical 3D tree models from Mobile Laser Scanning (MLS) point clouds. Starting with a neighborhood graph from the tree point clouds, the method treats the root point of the tree as a source point and determines an initial tree skeleton by using the Dijkstra algorithm. The initial skeleton lines are then optimized by adjusting line connectivity and branch nodes based on morphological characteristics of the tree. Finally, combined with the tree point clouds, the radius of each branch skeleton node is estimated and flat cones are used to simulate tree branches. A local triangulation method is used to connect the gaps between two joint flat cones. Demonstrated by street trees of different sizes and point densities, the proposed method can extract street tree skeletons effectively, generate tree models with higher fidelity, and reconstruct trees with different details according to the skeleton level. It is found out the tree modeling error is related to the average point spacing, with a maximum error at the coarsest level 6 being about 0.61 times the average point spacing. The main source of the modeling error is the self-occlusion of trees branches. Such findings are both theoretically and practically useful for generating high-precision tree models from point clouds. The developed method can be an alternative to the current ones that struggle to balance modeling efficiency and modeling accuracy.

Spatial structures of different-sized tree species in a secondary forest in the early succession stage

Forest structures may be analyzed by considering both spatial and non-spatial aspects. These aspects are generally considered independently with little attention focusing on their association. However, the relationships between spatial and non-spatial structures may aid in explaining the characteristics of forests from various perspectives. In this paper, we analyzed the spatial structures of a mixed pine-oak forest with different-sized trees and the relationships among stand spatial structural parameters. This forest, located in the Nanpan River Basin in Southwest China, was in the early stage of succession. Our results showed that: (1) most species populations and trees of different sizes were nearly randomly distributed; (2) the degree of mixture gradually increased with an increase in individual plant size; (3) dominance increased with increasing individual size and could be well modeled by a negative exponential function; (4) there were no clear differences in mixture or distribution patterns among small-, medium- and large-sized trees in vertical layers, but large-sized trees were usually more dominant than small- and medium-sized trees; and (5) the distribution patterns of trees of different sizes had no association with species mixing or dominance, although there was a significant correlation between the degree of mixing and dominance. These findings indicate that tree size directly relates to the non-spatial structure of forests while also predicting their spatial structure characteristics accurately.

Nutritional factors associated with distribution of Mopani Worms in Mopani woodlands in Tsholotsho and Gwanda Districts, Zimbabwe: A comparative survey

Mopani worms are abundant in Gwanda and sporadic in Tsholotsho though the two areas have similar climatic conditions. The study sought to determine nutritional factors that could be associated with distribution of Mopani worms in these two districts. Ten sampling points in undisturbed Mopani woodlands were established in each district. Samples were collected and analysed in the lab to determine the levels of crude protein, tannin and natural detergent fibres levels in leaves and pH, Nitrates, Phosphates and Potassium levels in soil and Welch’s test, Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney, Analysis of Variance and the Bonferroni Confidence Intervals were employed to test for significance in the observed differences. Findings showed differences in tree size and leaf length whilst the differences of all other variables (non-extractible tannis, extractible tannis crude protein levels and natural detergent fibres) relating to leaf sample analysis were not statistically significant. Findings on soil sample analysis pointed out that Gwanda had higher pH, Phosphorus and Potassium levels whilst Nitrates were significantly higher in Tsholotsho. Differences in the tree sizes and leaf sizes of the samples from the two sites show that there could be host selection based on these variables.

Spatial structure of the vertical layers in a subtropical secondary forest 57 years after clear-cutting

Abstract: Stratification is an important phenomenon in natural forests. The mixed pine-oak forests along the Nanpan River in southwest China was clearly formed by two layers in the vertical direction. These forests developed in an area where the virgin forests suffered clear-cutting. After excluding habitat heterogeneity, we divided two plots into upper and lower layers according to the tree height, and then analyzed the spatial pattern, species distribution, and size differentiation using the pair correlation function g(r) and the mark correlation function (MCF) kmm (r), respectively. The following key results were obtained: (1) the upstory was slightly clustered, whereas the understory had an intensively clumped pattern. An uneven pattern of germplasm resources in the early stages of succession and seed dispersion limitation may have contributed to the aggregation of tree species. (2) The spatial correlation among the main populations in each layer, and between both layers, had a largely random association, suggesting that differences in tree growth and physiological characteristics play an important role in species association. (3) Species aggregation decreased as the observation scale increased; however, the aggregation intensity of the understory was significantly higher than that of the upstory, which may be related to negative density dependence and niche complementarity. (4) Size differentiation in the upstory was significant, with small trees gathered together. There were no obvious differences in tree size in the lower layer, indicating a higher competitive pressure among trees in the upper layer. In conclusion, the spatial structure of trees in terms of vertical stratification differs, which is of great significance for investigating the mechanisms by which species coexist.

Market Adaptive Control Function Optimization in Continuous Cover Forest Management

Economically optimal management of a continuous cover forest is considered here. Initially, there is a large number of trees of different sizes and the forest may contain several species. We want to optimize the harvest decisions over time, using continuous cover forestry, which is denoted by CCF. We maximize our objective function, the expected present value, with consideration of stochastic prices, timber quality variations and dynamically changing spatial competition. The problem is solved using an adaptive control function. The parameters of the control function are optimized via the first order optimum conditions based on a multivariate polynomial approximation of the objective function. The second order maximum conditions are investigated and used to determine relevant parameter ranges. The procedure is described and optimal results are derived for a general function multi-species CCF forest. Concrete examples from Germany, with beech, and from Sweden, with Norwegian spruce, are used to illustrate the methodology and typical numerical results. It is important to make market adapted harvest decisions. If the stochastic price variations are not considered when the harvest decisions are taken, the expected present value is reduced by 23%.

Crown architecture, crown leaf area distribution, and individual tree growth efficiency vary across site, genetic entry, and planting density

We examined crown architecture and within crown leaf area distribution effects on Pinus taeda L. growth in North Carolina (NC), Virginia (VA), and Brazil (BR) to better understand why P. taeda can grow much better in Brazil than in the southeastern United States. The NC, VA, and BR sites were planted in 2009, 2009, and 2011, respectively. At all sites, we planted the same two genetic entries at 618, 1236, and 1854 trees ha−1. In 2013, when trees were still open grown, the VA and NC sites had greater branch diameter (24%), branch number (14%), live crown length (44%), foliage mass (82%), and branch mass (91%), than the BR site. However, in 2017, after crown closure and when there was no significant difference in tree size, site did not significantly affect these crown variables. In 2013, site significantly affected absolute leaf area distribution, likely due to differences in live crown length and leaf area, such that there was more foliage at a given level in the crown at the VA and NC sites than at the BR site. In 2017, site was still a significant factor explaining leaf area distribution, although at this point, with crown closure and similar sized trees, there was more foliage at the BR site at a given level in the crown compared to the VA and NC sites. In 2013 and 2017, when including site, genetic entry, stand density, and leaf area distribution parameters as independent variables, site significantly affected individual tree growth efficiency, indicating that something other than leaf area distribution was influencing the site effect. Better BR P. taeda growth is likely due to a combination of factors, including leaf area distribution, crown architecture, and other factors that have been identified as influencing the site effect (heat sum), indicating that future work should include a modeling analysis to examine all known contributing factors.

Deepening Rooting Depths Improve Plant Water and Carbon Status of a Xeric Tree during Summer Drought

Exploring the effects of drought on trees of different sizes is an important research topic because the size-dependent mortality pattern of the major dominant species significantly affects the structure and function of plant communities. Here we studied the physiological performance and non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) dynamics of a small xeric tree species, Haloxylon ammodendron (C.A.Mey.) of different tree size with varying rooting depth, during summer drought. We measured predawn (Ψpd) and midday (Ψm) leaf water potential, osmotic potential at saturated turgor (π100), and turgor lost point (Ψtlp), stomatal conductance (gs) at noon, maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) in the morning, and NSCs concentration, from June–September. Our results demonstrated that the summer drought reduces the overall performance of physiological traits of the small young trees more than the larger adult trees. Ψpd, gs and Fv/Fm dropped larger in the small-diameter groups than the larger diameter groups. Substantial osmotic adjustments were observed in small size individuals (with lower π100 and Ψtlp) to cope with summer drought. Furthermore, mean concentration of NSCs for the leaf and shoot were higher in September than in July in every basal stem diameter classes suggested the leaf and shoot acted as reserve for NSC. However the root NSCs concentrations within each basal stem diameter class exhibited less increase in September than in the July. At the same time, the small young tress had lower root NSCs concentrations than the larger adult tree in both July and September. The contrasting root NSC concentrations across the basal stem diameter classes indicated that the roots of smaller trees may be more vulnerable to carbon starvation under non-lethal summer drought. The significant positive relationship between rooting depth and physiological traits & root NSCs concentration emphasize the importance of rooting depth in determining the seasonal variation of water status, gas exchange and NSCs.

The effects of pulsed fertilization and chronic herbivory by periodical cicadas on tree growth.

Although many studies have investigated plant growth in the context of episodic herbivory and pressed resource availability, relatively few have examined how plant growth is affected by pulsed resources and chronic herbivory. Periodical cicada (Magicicada spp.) adults represent a pulsed detrital subsidy that fertilizes plants, and live cicada nymphs are long-lived root-feeding herbivores. Previous studies of cicada herbivory effects have been inconclusive, and previous studies of cicada-mediated fertilization did not examine effects on trees, or on a multiyear timescale. Here, we describe the results of a 3-yr experiment that factorially manipulated the presence and absence of cicada fertilization and herbivory in a population of 100 American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) trees. We found that cicada fertilization strongly increased tree growth in the year of emergence, creating differences in tree size that persisted at least 2yr later. By comparison, we did not detect reductions in tree growth associated with cicada herbivory in any year of this experiment. However, cicada herbivory reduced the densities of, and damage from, other aboveground herbivores. These results suggest that cicadas affect the size structure of forests over multiple years, and raise questions about how cicada-mediated fertilization and herbivory will affect tree growth over longer timescales.

Does plant allometry predict biased sex allocation in Triadica sebifera (L.) small (Euphorbiaceae)?

Early seed production by non-native plants may be important to their successful establishment and spread. Understanding the mechanisms underlying age- or size-biased seed production in introduced plants may also identify factors that contribute to propagule pressure and their success as invaders. Here, we asked whether differences in male and female reproductive allocation among individuals of the invasive woody plant species Triadica sebifera (L.) Small (Euphorbiaceae), a monoecious prolific seed producer, were consistent with a life-history trade-off involving sex allocation. We also asked if the quality of seeds produced by trees of different size differed in terms of seed size and germinability. We found no evidence that biomass allocation to either male or female function was related to plant size. Trees varied in ratio of female:male investment from 0.6 to 15.8, but investment ratio was also unrelated to plant size. We also found no relationship between plant size and seed size or mean germination time, and a weak negative relationship between percent seed germination and plant size. Overall, the results do not support the idea that patterns of reproductive sex allocation are the result of a life-history trade-off and are instead most consistent with local resource tracking by individual trees.

Above- and below-ground biomass relationships of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit in different plant stands.

The above and below–ground biomass (AGB and BGB) relationship is often used to assess the impact of biotic and abiotic effects on the growth and development of individual plants. The AGB and BGB relationship of the same tree species in different habitats can change significantly because of environmental stress. To investigate how the tree size, the biomass allocation and BGB/AGB ratio of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit varied according to spacing and mixed plant patterns in a valley–type savanna of southwest China, we examined the growth of L. leucocephala, and sampled 23 individuals for biomass measurement in each of four treatments (close/wide spacing of Leucaena leucocephala monocultures, mixed plantation of Leucaena leucocephala and Eucalyptus camaldulensis, and mixed plantation of Leucaena leucocephala and Eucalyptus citriodora), and then determined the regression relationships between AGB and BGB of L. leucocephala in different plant stands. Our results indicated that mixed planting significantly reduced all growth metrics for the tree sizes of L. leucocephala and increased the value of BGB/AGB. Changing plant spacing in monocultures had a significant impact on AGB and TB (Total Biomass) of L. leucocephala, but it had no significant effect on the other metrics. Within mixed plant schemes, L. leucocephala significantly reduced the biomass allocation to leaves and small roots and increased the allocation to coarse root biomass. There were no significant differences in tree size and biomass allocation of L. leucocephala between different spacing regimes in monocultures or between different mixtures in mixed plant stands. The correlation between BGB and AGB of L. leucocephala in all plant stands was consistent with the model of allometric growth, and AGB can be used to accurately estimate BGB. Interestingly, the correlations were not exactly the same. BGB and AGB in monoculture showed isometric growth, and their values in mixed plant stands showed allometric growth. BGB also increased faster than AGB. The findings indicated that L. leucocephala allocated more biomass to the root system when it was planted with Eucalyptus.

Efecto del huracán Dean en la dinámica estructural de selvas bajo manejo forestal en Quintana Roo, México

La tendencia creciente de impactos humanos y de huracanes sobre las selvas de la Península de Yucatán, se ha constituido en una amenaza para su sobrevivencia. Esto es de gran relevancia, considerando que el manejo de la selva, es una actividad primordial para su conservación y generación de ingresos para las poblaciones locales. Este escenario fundamentó el presente estudio realizado en la selva de Noh-Bec, Quintana Roo, impactada por el huracán “Dean” (2007). El propósito fue identificar los factores que tuvieron influencia sobre la magnitud de daños ocasionados en la comunidad arbórea, así como los cambios en su estructura y composición en el periodo 1998 - 2014. Para esto se realizaron mediciones en parcelas permanentes de muestreo, dirigidas a obtener información sobre los principales caracteres estructurales, los atributos de especies y los daños del huracán (1998, 2010 y 2014). Los resultados obtenidos confirmaron que los daños sobre 56.3% de los árboles de diferentes tamaños de la comunidad fueron efecto de la asociación múltiple entre los vientos del huracán, los factores de densidad (individuos/ha), los atributos de especies y los disturbios de los aprovechamientos. Los resultados también revelaron cambios en la estructura, importancia de las especies y en la diversidad estructural de la selva, variaciones que se manifestaron en una disminución inicial de las alturas totales, diámetros y volúmenes de la comunidad arbórea (1998-2010), para posteriormente emprender procesos de regeneración (2010-2014). Las variables densidad (número de individuos por hectárea) y área basimétrica tuvieron un comportamiento inverso: aumentaron en el primer periodo (1998-2010), para posteriormente disminuir en el segundo periodo (2010-2014).

Tree size as a determinant of recovery of birch (Betula pendula and B. pubescens) and grey alder (Alnus incana) trees after cutting and inoculation with Chondrostereum purpureum

We investigated the ability of birch (Betula pendula Roth. and B. pubescens Ehrh.) and grey alder (Alnus incana (L.) Moench) trees of different sizes to recover after cutting and artificial infection with a common decay fungus, Chondrostereum purpureum (Pers. Ex Fr.) Pouzar. In birch, resistance to C. purpureum was initially highest among stumps of 13 cm diameter but by the end of the experiment almost all stumps were dead, whereas in grey alder mortality happened more slowly than in birch and was the same across the size range of stumps. After two growing seasons when almost all the original stumps were dead due to fungal infection, alder root suckers developed around small alder stumps, showing a high level of compensation compared to birch. These results indicate that birch and alder have different strategies for survival after biocontrol treatment.

Large trees are surrounded by more heterospecific neighboring trees in Korean pine broad-leaved natural forests

Negative conspecific density dependence is one of the principal mechanisms affecting plant performance and community spatial patterns. Although many studies identified the prevalence of density dependent effects in various vegetation types by analyzing conspecific spatial dispersal patterns (spatial patterning) of forest trees, interactions between individuals and heterospecific neighboring trees caused by density-dependent effects are often neglected. The effects of negative density dependence lead us to expect that neighbourhood species segregation would increase with increasing tree size and that larger trees would be surrounded by more heterospecific neighbours than would smaller trees. We studied four mapped 1-Ha plots on Changbaishan Mountain in North-eastern China and used marked point pattern analysis to explore whether trees of different sizes exhibited differences in neighbourhood species segregation; we also determined whether larger trees were more likely to have heterospecific neighbours than smaller trees were. Our results show that bigger trees generally have higher species mingling levels. Neighborhood species segregation ranged from lower than expected levels to random or nearly random patterns at small scales as tree size classes increased under heterogeneous Poisson null model tests. This study provides some evidence in support of negative density dependent effects in temperate forests.

COMPARISON OF SINGLE AND MULTI-SCALE METHOD FOR LEAF AND WOOD POINTS CLASSIFICATION FROM TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANNING DATA

Abstract. The classification of leaf and wood points is an essential preprocessing step for extracting inventory measurements and canopy characterization of trees from the terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) data. The geometry-based approach is one of the widely used classification method. In the geometry-based method, it is common practice to extract salient features at one single scale before the features are used for classification. It remains unclear how different scale(s) used affect the classification accuracy and efficiency. To assess the scale effect on the classification accuracy and efficiency, we extracted the single-scale and multi-scale salient features from the point clouds of two oak trees of different sizes and conducted the classification on leaf and wood. Our experimental results show that the balanced accuracy of the multi-scale method is higher than the average balanced accuracy of the single-scale method by about 10 % for both trees. The average speed-up ratio of single scale classifiers over multi-scale classifier for each tree is higher than 30.

Modeling and simulation of tree spatial patterns in an oak-hickory forest with a modular, hierarchical spatial point process framework

Modeling and simulating tree spatial distribution in complex forests is important to ecologists and applied scientists who seek to both understand pattern-creating biological processes and create realistic model forests that can be used for hypothesis testing and sampling experiments. Several patterns of tree spatial distribution can co-occur in a forest. Clustering can occur due to localized patterns of growth and mortality of larger trees and corresponding regeneration of smaller trees, while trees of medium size can exhibit more uniform patterns. Inter-tree interaction may be characterized by asymmetry of competitive strength, with larger individuals having a disproportionate influence on smaller individuals.Many point process modeling approaches exist, but few have incorporated hierarchical principles that describe inter-tree competition. Those that do sometimes assume symmetric interaction among trees, which can be unrealistic. None of the existing models allow for the use of different model types at each level of the hierarchy, something that could provide a more realistic representation of the patterns displayed by trees of different size. In this study, we model and simulate a forest using a novel, modular, hierarchical approach that allows for the use of different model types at each hierarchy level, and incorporates asymmetrical interactions as well as the effects of environmental covariates. The forest is a mid-successional 8-ha stem-mapped oak-hickory watershed in Pennsylvania, USA. Results suggest that asymmetrical interactions based on tree size do exist, and these are mediated by the effects of topography. The hierarchical models reproduce the spatial patterns found in the original data better than non-hierarchical versions of the same models. The flexibility afforded by the modularity of our modeling framework will allow simulation of forests with varying levels of complexity as well as the testing of ecological hypotheses about drivers of spatial pattern creation.

Sapwood Area Related to Tree Size, Tree Age, and Leaf Area Index in Cedrus libani

Sapwood includes the water conducting part of the stem which transports water and minerals from roots to leaves. Studies using sap flow gauges have to determine the area of the sapwood in order to scale measured sap flow densities to the tree or stand level. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between sapwood area at breast height and other tree parameters which are easy to measure of the montane Mediterranean conifer Cedrus libani, including a total number of 92 study trees of different size and age. The study was conducted at four different stands situated between 1000 and 2000 m altitude in the Elmalı Cedar Research Forest of Antalya, SW-Turkey. Sapwood area of the sample trees was determined by extracting two tree cores from opposite directions of the stem using an increment borer and by visually assessing the wet part of the core. Parameters measured besides sapwood area were diameter at breast height, stem radius without bark, sapwood depth, tree basal area, tree height, tree age, and projected crown area. Furthermore, at each stand, leaf area index (LAI) was determined using hemispherical photographs of the forest canopy. The most significant relationship was found between stem radius without bark and sapwood area (R2: 0.94) followed by tree basal area and sapwood area (R2: 0.90). Although it was the second best predictor, tree basal area should be used to estimate sapwood area when estimating stand transpiration since it can be measured faster and without giving damage to the tree. Mean sapwood area and mean site-specific LAI showed a significant positive correlation. The findings of this study can be used in ecophysiological studies when transpiration rates of C. libani are measured using sap flow gauges.

EQUATIONS TO ESTIMATE TREE GAPS IN A PRECISION FOREST MANAGEMENT AREA THE AMAZON BASED ON CROWN MORPHOMETRY

ABSTRACT The precision forest management technique still has much to be improved with the incorporation of forest biometric techniques and forest profiling with airborne LIDAR. When planning the cutting of a tree in forest management, the volume to be produced for industry is estimated but not the area impacted by removal of the tree. The objective of the present study was to develop equations for the Amazon rainforest that are able to estimate the impact area of gaps from harvesting individual dominant and co-dominant trees based on the canopy morphology obtained through forest profiling. On two separate occasions profiles were made in an annual forest-production unit in the Antimary State Forest (FEA) in the state of Acre, Brazil. The first was done a few days before the start of logging in 2010 and the second was done after completion of harvest activities in 2011. With field measurements and processing of the cloud of LIDAR points, dendrometric and morphometric variables were obtained for the canopy in order to develop equations for estimating gap areas. After evaluation of the explanatory variables with the highest correlation with gap area, the method used considered all possible models and included 2-4 parameters. The explanatory variables that best represent the impact of clearings are volume of the crown (VCop) and crown-projection area (APC). Ten equations were selected, of which two were chosen for use; these had R2 aj > 75% and Syx <23%. The good fit of the equations demonstrates the potential use of LIDAR to obtain information for estimating in advance the gaps in the forest cover that will be created from harvesting trees of different sizes.

Estimation of leaf area for open-grown urban trees in Great Britain using HemiView

Ecosystem service provision by urban trees depends on a range of factors including the tree total leaf area, which itself is related to canopy size and health. Consequently, a quantification and valuation of ecosystem services delivered by urban forests is more accurately made if based on correct leaf area values. The measurement of leaf area using direct methods is however unrealistic for urban trees; hemispherical photography offers an alternative. We photographed the canopies of fifty-one open-grown Acer platanoides, Fraxinus excelsior and Platanus x hispanica trees of different sizes, growing in public urban greenspaces in southern Great Britain (GB) and estimated their leaf area using HemiView 2.1 (Delta-T devices). For each tree, photographs were taken from four cardinal points and the subsequent individual leaf area estimates were compared to assess the variance associated with photographing a canopy from different orientations. This variance was highest for larger trees than for small ones, particularly those with estimated leaf area >400 m2; still, it remained always under 10% of the mean leaf area. The relationships between the tree’s leaf area estimate and its biometric variables were also found. All relationships tested were significant, especially those using tree height and crown height. Finally, leaf area estimates achieved using HemiView were compared to estimates achieved using published allometric equations and found to be significantly related to those for two of the three species. Differences between estimates (HemiView vs allometric equations) tended to be considerable for larger trees, but for most small trees estimates were broadly approximate. Leaf area estimated using HemiView or other indirect methods should be undertaken in future through comparison to empirical leaf area measurements.

Applying the Delphi method to assess impacts of forest management on biodiversity and habitat preservation

Abstract This study applied a structured expert elicitation technique, the Delphi method, to identify the impacts of five forest management alternatives and several forest characteristics on the preservation of biodiversity and habitats in the boreal zone of the Nordic countries. The panel of experts consisted of a number of scientists in the field. The data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire distributed via e-mail in two rounds. Our findings demonstrated that an increase in management intensity for timber production is likely to have a negative effect on the biodiversity and habitats with intense management alternatives such as a “clear-cutting system” resulting in the strongest adverse impact. The presence of deadwood, mixture of trees of different sizes and increase in stand age were expected to promote preservation of biodiversity and habitats. However, there was little agreement between experts regarding the functional form that relationships between preservation of biodiversity and forest characteristics take. The Delphi method was found useful in investigating the existing knowledge base and capable of contributing to a more comprehensive assessment for decision support as a valuable addition to on-going empirical and modeling efforts. The findings could assist forest managers in developing forest management strategies that generate benefits from timber production while taking into account the trade-offs with biodiversity goals.

Dynamics of the horizontal structure of the tree stand in a pristine herb–bilberry forest of the subzone of the middle tiaga in the Komi Republic

According to observations from 1987 to 2010 on a constant sampling plot, using spatial statistics, we have shown dynamics of the horizontal structure of all-aged stands of a pristine spruce herb–bilberry forest. We note that the trees forming it provide a continual change of generations and, therefore, random community structure and its spatial stability. We determined that small-leaved arboreal plants, which represent part of the tree stand, tend to grouping at distances from 4 m. It was discovered that the mutual arrangement of trees of different sizes and species do not differ from a random occurrence.