Which trees have more of their trunks without branches those along the Forrest edge or deep in the woodlands why?

Answer 1

Depending on the density and the specific species, trees further inside of the stand will have fewer branches. The branches support the leaves, which is where the tree produces its food but require large amounts of water. As density increases shading reduces the efficiency of the leaves. At some point the leaves produce less food and consume more water than the tree can afford. The supporting tissues in the branch also require nutrients for cellular activity, so the tree cuts its losses by allowing the branch to die. This causes the crown (the live leaf area of the tree) to recede and can reduce the overall vigor and growth.

This is much more prevalent in shade-intolerant species such as ponderoas pine. Shade tolerant species, such as Douglas-fir, grow much slower and can survive with more crown area and less available light.

For that reason, trees on the edge of the stand more will have fuller, longer crowns (more branches lower on the trunk).

Answer 2

Trees along the forest edge tend to have more branches on their trunks compared to trees deep in the woodlands. This is because trees along the forest edge have access to more sunlight due to less competition from surrounding trees. In contrast, trees in the dense woodlands often grow taller in search of sunlight, resulting in more of their lower trunks being free of branches.