Environmental horticulturists have long been stumped by the strange behavior of trees in groups. Why do trees on the perimeter of a forest have stocky, tapering trunks, while those in the interior are tall and slender and are easily toppled by wind after the tough outer trees have been felled either by nature or man? P. Landreth Neel and Richard Harris, environmental horticulturists working at the University of California at Davis, have come up with the most convincing answer so far. Their theory: perimeter trees that are fully exposed to the wind and...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
