Crown shyness is a phenomenon observed in some tree species, in which the crowns of fully stocked trees do not touch each other, forming a canopy with channel-like gaps.[1][2] It is also known as canopy disengagement,[3] canopy shyness,[4] or intercrown spacing.[5] The phenomenon is most prevalent among trees of the same species, but also occurs between trees of different species.[6][7] There exist many hypotheses as to why crown shyness is an adaptive behavior, though prominent research suggest that it might inhibit spread of leaf-eating insect larvae.[8]
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