title: Why trees and shrubs but rarely trubs?
abstract: An analysis of the maximum height of woody plant species across the globe reveals that an intermediate size is remarkably rare. We speculate that this may be due to intrinsic suboptimality or to ecosystem bistability with open landscapes favouring shrubs, and closed canopies propelling trees to excessive tallness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, NL-6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: marten.scheffer@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scheffer
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, NL-6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands; Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Remi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vergnon
authors.affiliation: Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J Hans C
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cornelissen
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography and Geology, University of Alcala, C/Colegios 2, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
authors.forename: Stijn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hantson
authors.affiliation: Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, NL-6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holmgren
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, NL-6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Egbert H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: van Nes
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, NL-6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands; School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing 210093, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D017753:Ecosystem; D063245:Plant Development / Q000502:physiology*; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D014197:Trees / Q000254:growth & development*