Schematic of stand growth pattern

This schematic illustrates the logistic growth function that characterizes most forest stands. Early in life, stand-level growth is fast. The growth rate slows as the growing space is occupied and trees become more and more crowded and have to compete more intensely for resources.

This general pattern of growth, combined with higher carbon emissions associated with mortality in the reserve stand, largely explains the almost four-fold difference in the rate of (net) carbon accumulation between the young aspen-spruce stand and the reserved stand across the road.

This figure is used in a blog post describing carbon dynamics in a few Cloquet Forestry Center stands.