Pioneer Species and Succession: Plant the Fast-Growing Ones First

A forest in transition. Early-planted pioneer tree species grow quickly and tall but have a loose form, thin bark, and sparse branches; beneath them are later-successional tree species, either self-seeded or replanted, with thicker leaves and denser forms, growing upwards to catch up. Some pioneer trees are already weakened, dead-topped, or fallen, remaining in place. This process of succession is visible in the image. Avoid: planting all desired climax species at once, removing weakened and dead pioneer trees, making the forest appear like a monoculture of the same age, or ignoring self-seeded saplings beneath the canopy.

Translated from Chinese by AI.

一片正在替換中的林子。早期種下的先驅樹種長得又快又高但形態鬆散、樹皮薄、枝條稀疏;它們底下是後來自己長出來或補植的演替中後期樹種,葉子更厚、樹形更緊密,正在往上追。有幾株先驅樹已經衰弱、枯梢或倒下,留在原地。這個交替的過程在畫面裡看得出來。避免:一次種滿最終想要的樹種、把衰弱與枯死的先驅樹清除、讓林相看起來像同齡的人工林、忽略林下自己長出來的幼苗。