The social drift of trees. Consequence for growth trend detection, stand dynamics, and silviculture

Abstract Recently, many studies worldwide tapped tree ring pattern for detection of growth events and trends caused by weather extremes climate change. As long-term experiments with permanent survey all trees are rare, trend analyses mostly based on retrospective measurements via increment coring or stem the remaining individual in older forest stands. However, survivor stands may only unsufficiently represent course dominant throughout stand development. Here, more than 100 years data European beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.) thinning experiment Fabrikschleichach South Germany used to show changes social ranking their consequences analyses, dynamics silvicultural management. Firstly, a significant upwards drift initially medium-sized till 2010 is shown trees' percentiles diameter distribution 1904 versus 2010. The climbing stronger thinned compared unthinned plots. Secondly, we that 40–60% tallest were replaced climbers down-ranked below Linear mixed model reveal survivors was average 23% steeper starters 1904. This indicates had longer lasting originally trees. Thirdly, last 20 years, from 1990 2010, analyzed dependency current past position. A linear shows early subdominance suppression can significantly steepen century later vice versa. Finally, discuss implications survivor-based dynamics,