The Importance of an Open Grown Tree – from Seed to Ancient

This article is an attempt to illustrate the importance of open grown trees for biodiversity. Initially there was no intention to make comparisons between the two extreme growth forms of trees i.e. the open grown form versus the forest form shade tolerant tree of a similar age, especially because of the vast range of conditions affecting their growth to speculate on. However in preparing the article it became clear that there might be interesting to speculate on some of the comparisons to be drawn between the two forms at either end of the spectrum. In the exercise the challenge has been of setting out and describing some of the vast array of habitats provided on and within a single tree which are an integral part of the complex coevolutionary relationships with other organisms.