Self-thinning

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Self-thinning is the process by which the number of individuals in a growing plant population decreases while the total biomass of the population increases. For many plant species, the self- thinning process can be described by Yoda s -3/2 rule: if N is the number of plants and B the total biomass of the population, then: N ~ B −3/2 . More recent research results meanwhile speak of a "-4/3 rule" (Weller et al. 1989).

See also: intra-specific competition