In tropical forests, trees strategically balance growth patterns to optimise fitness amid multiple environmental stressors. Wind poses the primary risk to a tree's mechanical stability, prompting developments such as thicker trunks to withstand the bending forces. Therefore, a trade‐off in resource allocation exists between diameter growth and vertical growth to compete for light. We explore this trade‐off by measuring the relative wind mortality risk for 95 trees in a tropical forest in Panama and testing how it varies with tree size, species and wind exposure. Surprisingly, local wind exposure and tree size had minimal impact on wind mortality risk; instead, species wood density emerged as the crucial factor. Low wood density species exhibited a significantly greater wind mortality risk, suggesting a prioritisation of competition for light over biomechanical stability. Our study highlights the pivotal role of wind safety in shaping the life‐history strategy of trees and structuring diverse tropical forests.

中文翻译：

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风影响热带森林树木的生长策略


在热带森林中，树木战略性地平衡生长模式，以在多种环境压力下优化适应性。风对树木的机械稳定性构成了主要风险，促使人们开发出更厚的树干来承受弯曲力。因此，直径增长和垂直增长之间存在资源分配的权衡以争夺光。我们通过测量巴拿马热带森林中 95 棵树的相对风死亡风险并测试它如何随树木大小、物种和风暴露而变化，从而探索这种权衡。令人惊讶的是，当地的风暴露和树木大小对风死亡风险的影响很小；相反，物种木材密度成为关键因素。低木材密度物种表现出明显更大的风死亡风险，表明对光的竞争优先于生物力学稳定性。我们的研究强调了风安全在塑造树木生命史策略和构建多样化热带森林方面的关键作用。