Proximity signal and shade avoidance differences between early and late successional trees

Competitive interactions between plants determine the success of individual s and species. In developing forests, competition for light is the predomin ant factor. Shade tolerators acclimate photo-synthetically to low light(1-3 ) and are capable of long-term survival under the shade cast by others, whe reas shade avoiders rapidly dominate gaps but are overtaken in due course b y shade-tolerant, later successional species. Shade avoidance(4-6) results from the phytochrome-mediated perception of far-red radiation (700- 800 nm) scattered from the leaves of neighbours, provides early warning of shading (7), and induces developmental responses that, when successful, result in t he overgrowth of those neighbours(8). Shade tolerators cast a deep shade, w hereas less-tolerant species cast light shade(9), and saplings tend to have high survivorship in shade cast by conspecific adults, but high rates of m ortality when shaded by more-tolerant species(9). Here we report a parallel relationship in which the shade-avoidance responses of three tree species are inversely proportional to proximity signals generated by those species. On this basis, early successional species generate small proximity signals but react strongly to them, whereas late successional species react weakly but generate strong signals.