Crown closure

In forestry, the crown closure is the point in time at which a crown closure degree is reached at which the crowns of neighboring trees just touch. It is reached in the thickening phase. When the crown closes, there is no direct sunlight on the ground and the microclimate of the forest ecosystem is developed.

For the individual trees, this phase begins the competition for sunlight and space, which is primarily driven by height growth.

literature

• Jean-Philippe Schütz: The principles of forest use and forest treatment . Script for the lecture Silviculture I, ETH Zurich, 2003 (PDF)