Much of the world''s forested land is dominated by mixed-species
stands. Understanding the complex structure and dynamics of these
mixtures is a necessary step in the process of formulating appropriate
silvicultural systems for their management. David M. Smith, Professor
Emeritus of Silviculture at Yale University, has devoted much of his
career to the study of the structure, development, and silvicultural
treatment of these kinds of stands. This volume is presented by
Professor Smith''s collegues to honor the contributions he has made to
the field. It contains both reviews of past work and results of
current studies of mixed stands: topics range from analysis of forest
dynamics in unmanaged stands to studies of silvicultural systems
applied to mixtures, with examples drawn from boreal, temperate, and
tropical regions. Much of the work stresses the importance of
understanding the characteristic growth patterns of individual species
within mixed stands, and how species interactions shape developmental
patterns.