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The global spectrum of tree crown architecture

Author

Listed:
  • Tommaso Jucker

    (University of Bristol)

  • Fabian Jörg Fischer

    (University of Bristol)

  • Jérôme Chave

    (118 route de Narbonne)

  • David A. Coomes

    (University of Cambridge)

  • John Caspersen

    (33 Willcocks Street)

  • Arshad Ali

    (Hebei University)

  • Grace Jopaul Loubota Panzou

    (Université DENIS SASSOU-N’GUESSO
    BP 69 Brazzaville)

  • Ted R. Feldpausch

    (University of Exeter)

  • Daniel Falster

    (University of New South Wales Sydney)

  • Vladimir A. Usoltsev

    (Ural State Forest Engineering and Economic University)

  • Toby D. Jackson

    (University of Bristol)

  • Stephen Adu-Bredu

    (University)

  • Luciana F. Alves

    (University of California Los Angeles)

  • Mohammad Aminpour

    (West Azerbaijan Province)

  • Bhely Angoboy Ilondea

    (Institut National pour l’Etude et la Recherche Agronomiques
    Université Pédagogique Nationale)

  • Niels P. R. Anten

    (Wageningen University & Research)

  • Cécile Antin

    (INRAE)

  • Yousef Askari

    (AREEO)

  • Narayanan Ayyappan

    (French Institute of Pondicherry)

  • Lindsay F. Banin

    (UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology)

  • Nicolas Barbier

    (INRAE)

  • John J. Battles

    (University of California Berkeley)

  • Hans Beeckman

    (Royal Museum for Central Africa)

  • Yannick E. Bocko

    (BP 69 Brazzaville)

  • Ben Bond-Lamberty

    (5825 University Research Ct. #3500)

  • Frans Bongers

    (Wageningen University & Research)

  • Samuel Bowers

    (University of Edinburgh)

  • Michiel Breugel

    (12 College Avenue West
    Apartado Postal 0843-03092
    #03-01 Block AS2)

  • Arthur Chantrain

    (Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech)

  • Rajeev Chaudhary

    (Sudurpashchim province)

  • Jingyu Dai

    (Peking University)

  • Michele Dalponte

    (via E. Mach 1)

  • Kangbéni Dimobe

    (Université Daniel Ouezzin Coulibaly)

  • Jean-Christophe Domec

    (INRAE
    Duke University)

  • Jean-Louis Doucet

    (Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech)

  • Juan Manuel Dupuy Rada

    (C.P)

  • Remko A. Duursma

    (Henri Faasdreef 312)

  • Moisés Enríquez

    (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Coyoacán)

  • Karin Y. Ewijk

    (Queen’s University)

  • William Farfán-Rios

    (Washington University in St Louis)

  • Adeline Fayolle

    (Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech
    UPR Forêts et Sociétés)

  • Marco Ferretti

    (Zürcherstrasse 111)

  • Eric Forni

    (UPR Forêts et Sociétés)

  • David I. Forrester

    (GPO Box 1700)

  • Hammad Gilani

    (New Mexico State University)

  • John L. Godlee

    (University of Edinburgh)

  • Matthias Haeni

    (Zürcherstrasse 111)

  • Jefferson S. Hall

    (Apartado Postal 0843-03092)

  • Jie-Kun He

    (Guangzhou)

  • Andreas Hemp

    (Universitätsstr. 30-31)

  • José L. Hernández-Stefanoni

    (C.P)

  • Steven I. Higgins

    (University of Otago)

  • Robert J. Holdaway

    (Landcare Research)

  • Kiramat Hussain

    (Gilgit-Baltistan Forest Wildlife and Environment Department)

  • Lindsay B. Hutley

    (Northern Territory)

  • Tomoaki Ichie

    (B200 Monobe)

  • Yoshiko Iida

    (1 Matsunosato)

  • Hai-Sheng Jiang

    (Guangzhou)

  • Puspa Raj Joshi

    (Hetauda Campus)

  • Hasan Kaboli

    (Semnan University)

  • Maryam Kazempour Larsary

    (University of Guilan)

  • Tanaka Kenzo

    (Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences)

  • Brian D. Kloeppel

    (Princeton University)

  • Takashi S. Kohyama

    (Hokkaido University)

  • Suwash Kunwar

    (Sudurpashchim province
    Nanjing Forestry University)

  • Shem Kuyah

    (62000)

  • Jakub Kvasnica

    (Mendel University in Brno)

  • Siliang Lin

    (Guangzhou)

  • Emily R. Lines

    (Downing Place)

  • Hongyan Liu

    (Peking University)

  • Craig Lorimer

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

  • Jean-Joël Loumeto

    (BP 69 Brazzaville)

  • Yadvinder Malhi

    (University of Oxford)

  • Peter L. Marshall

    (University of British Columbia)

  • Eskil Mattsson

    (Aschebergsgatan 44
    Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre (GGBC))

  • Radim Matula

    (Prague 6)

  • Jorge A. Meave

    (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Coyoacán)

  • Sylvanus Mensah

    (Université d’Abomey Calavi
    Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg)

  • Xiangcheng Mi

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Stéphane T. Momo

    (INRAE
    Université de Yaoundé I)

  • Glenn R. Moncrieff

    (The Nature Conservancy
    Private Bag X3)

  • Francisco Mora

    (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México)

  • Rodrigo Muñoz

    (Wageningen University & Research
    Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Coyoacán
    Wageningen University & Research)

  • Sarath P. Nissanka

    (University of Peradeniya)

  • Zamah Shari Nur Hajar

    (Forest Research Institute Malaysia)

  • Kevin L. O’Hara

    (University of California Berkeley)

  • Steven Pearce

    (The Tree Projects)

  • Raphaël Pelissier

    (INRAE)

  • Pablo L. Peri

    ((9400))

  • Pierre Ploton

    (INRAE)

  • Lourens Poorter

    (Wageningen University & Research)

  • Mohsen Javanmiri Pour

    (Extension and Education Organization)

  • Hassan Pourbabaei

    (University of Guilan)

  • Sabina C. Ribeiro

    (Distrito Industrial)

  • Casey Ryan

    (University of Edinburgh)

  • Anvar Sanaei

    (Leipzig University)

  • Jennifer Sanger

    (The Tree Projects)

  • Michael Schlund

    (Hengelosestraat 99)

  • Giacomo Sellan

    (Campus Agronomique
    Chester Street)

  • Alexander Shenkin

    (Northern Arizona University Flagstaff)

  • Bonaventure Sonké

    (Université de Yaoundé I)

  • Frank J. Sterck

    (Wageningen University & Research)

  • Martin Svátek

    (Mendel University in Brno)

  • Kentaro Takagi

    (Hokkaido University)

  • Anna T. Trugman

    (University of California Santa Barbara)

  • Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur

    (University of New Hampshire)

  • Ahmad Valipour

    (University of Kurdistan)

  • Mark C. Vanderwel

    (3737 Wascana Pkwy)

  • Alejandra G. Vovides

    (Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg
    East Quadrangle)

  • Peter Waldner

    (Zürcherstrasse 111)

  • Weiwei Wang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Li-Qiu Wang

    (Nanjing Forestry University)

  • Christian Wirth

    (Leipzig University
    German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig)

  • Murray Woods

    (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources)

  • Wenhua Xiang

    (Central South University of Forestry and Technology)

  • Fabiano Ximenes

    (Locked Bag 5022)

  • Yaozhan Xu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Toshihiro Yamada

    (Hiroshima University)

  • Miguel A. Zavala

    (Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida)

  • Niklaus E. Zimmermann

    (Zürcherstrasse 111)

Abstract

Trees can differ enormously in their crown architectural traits, such as the scaling relationships between tree height, crown width and stem diameter. Yet despite the importance of crown architecture in shaping the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems, we lack a complete picture of what drives this incredible diversity in crown shapes. Using data from 374,888 globally distributed trees, we explore how climate, disturbance, competition, functional traits, and evolutionary history constrain the height and crown width scaling relationships of 1914 tree species. We find that variation in height–diameter scaling relationships is primarily controlled by water availability and light competition. Conversely, crown width is predominantly shaped by exposure to wind and fire, while also covarying with functional traits related to mechanical stability and photosynthesis. Additionally, we identify several plant lineages with highly distinctive stem and crown forms, such as the exceedingly slender dipterocarps of Southeast Asia, or the extremely wide crowns of legume trees in African savannas. Our study charts the global spectrum of tree crown architecture and pinpoints the processes that shape the 3D structure of woody ecosystems.

Suggested Citation

  • Tommaso Jucker & Fabian Jörg Fischer & Jérôme Chave & David A. Coomes & John Caspersen & Arshad Ali & Grace Jopaul Loubota Panzou & Ted R. Feldpausch & Daniel Falster & Vladimir A. Usoltsev & Toby D. , 2025. "The global spectrum of tree crown architecture," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-16, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-60262-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60262-x
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