Gap closure rate defines a response window that stored-reserve herbs may lag into

Evidence

A second factor that may influence herb composition or growth is the length of time a gap is open to colonization or herb response. This period is delimited by the gap closure rate. The closure rate of a gap is determined by the opening size and shape, and by lateral and vertical growth rates of affected tree species (Canham and Marks, Chapter 11, this volume; Crawford, 1976; Hibbs, 1982). For long-lived perennial forest herbs, in which growth and reproduction during the current season are dependent upon stored reserves, there may be a lag time between gap formation and plant response. Effective gap closure, by lateral growth of surrounding trees or by vertical growth of trees, shrubs, or other herbs, may limit the available time for plant response. — S. T. A. Pickett and P. S. White, eds., The Ecology of Natural Disturbance and…, 1466