Reproductive Strategies and the Co-occurrence of Climax Tree Species

Science. 1975 Sep 5;189(4205):808-10. doi: 10.1126/science.189.4205.808.

Abstract

In a central New Hampshire forest, three co-occurring tree species were found to occupy different positions on a reproductive strategy gradient. These reproductive strategy differences, in part, described separate niches for the species. The three-species complex is hypothesized to form a dynamic climax overstory characterized by cyclical replacement of one dominant species by another.