The contemporary relegation of conifers mainly to cold or infertile sites has been ascribed to low competitive ability. Lusk et al. use 3-D modelling of plant architecture and structural equation modelling to compare self-shading and light interception potential of seedlings of six conifers and 12 angiosperm trees from temperate rainforests, and show that seedlings of conifers [...]

Light partitioning within intercropping systems is mostly modelled by using the turbid medium analogy. Barillot et al. assess this approach by comparing it with a light-projective model based on 3-D plant mock-ups for contrasting grass–legume canopies (wheat–pea, tall fescue–alfalfa, tall fescue–clover). They find that light partitioning is accurately predicted by the turbid medium approach in most [...]

The productivity and stability of grazed grassland rely on dynamic interactions between the sward and the animal. Combes et al. record 3-D canopy structures of swards of white clover (Trifolium repens) using an electromagnetic digitizer and adapted software, and synthesize virtual canopies in order to calculate bite mass of grazing animals and to determine effects on [...]