What is the peak growth rate in trees?

• A. The minimum rate of growth after establishment.
• B. The average growth rate over the first decade.
• C. The growth rate during the middle age.
• D. The maximum rate of growth that trees achieve before growth slows down.

Answer: (D)

The peak growth rate is the maximum rate at which a tree increases in size in a given time, i.e., the highest annual increment it reaches before growth slows. In forest growth, trees often go from slow establishment to a period of rapid juvenile growth, then into a slowdown as they age and resources become limiting. So the peak rate represents that fastest increase just before decline, rather than the minimum, an average, or growth during middle age. The exact timing and magnitude vary by species and site, and you can measure it as the highest annual increment in height or diameter.