Growth, morphology and leaf characteristics after simulated herbivory in Chinese subtropical evergreen saplings

Growth, morphology and leaf characteristics were assessed in late spring following simulated autumnal defoliation in second‐year saplings of three Chinese subtropical evergreen tree species. Castanopsis fargesii showed strong compensatory growth in terms of plant biomass after removal of both 50 and 75% of leaf biomass and slight compensatory growth after 90% defoliation. Defoliated C. fargesii saplings had more leaves per unit shoot length than non‐defoliated saplings. New leaves on defoliated plants were smaller and had higher per area nitrogen content than new leaves on non‐defoliated plants. Pinus massoniana and Elaeocarpus japonicus showed strong and no compensatory growth, respectively, after 50% defoliation. The strong compensatory growth in P. massoniana and C. fargesii may partly explain why these species predominate in the early and late successional phases of evergreen broad‐leaved forests