Structural Dynamics of Silver Birch. I. The Fates of Buds

Abstract

The crown of a tree can be considered as a population of repeated units (buds, leaves, shoots, flowers) with demographic properties. The study is an attempt to analyze the structural dynamics of the growth of silver birch (B. pendula) using demographic techniques. Sampling problems are described and the fates of buds are analyzed in relation to leaf dynamics and heterophylly, flowering, shoot elongation and the flux in the bud population. The dominant role of the leader in determining the growth and form in silver birch is discussed in relation to the pioneer role of the species in early successions.