Survival time and mortality rate of regeneration in the deep shade of a primeval beech forest

Abstract Low mortality rates and slow growth differentiate shade-tolerant from shade-intolerant species define the survival strategy of juvenile trees growing in deep shade. While radial stem has been widely used to explain trees, leaf area ratio (LAR), known be a key component shade tolerance, neglected so far. We assessed effects LAR, tree height on time age-specific rate Fagus sylvatica L. (European beech), Acer pseudoplatanus (sycamore maple) platanoides (Norway primeval beech forest (Ukraine). Aboveground belowground biomass were analysed for 289 living 179 dead seedlings saplings. Compared with other species, F. featured higher slower lower rate. The average juveniles (72 years) allows it reach canopy more often than its competitors forests low turnover In contrast, combination two resulted their shorter times thus render presence rare event. Overall, this study suggests that commonly defined as relationship between sapling growth, can alternatively formulated interplay LAR.