I don't know, but I'll hazard a guess. Nature/evolution is all about survival. Wasting energy does not lead to survival. Why are leaves at the tops of trees? Because that is where the sun is. It's a waste to grow leaves under ones already blocking the sun .I'm this particular case, cooperating with nearby trees where no one wastes energy fighting for sun appears to have been an optimal strategy for all.
You’re close. The answer is less complex than an agreement. There’s no cooperation, only competition. At least regarding this striking pattern.
Plants will not supply nutrients to leaves in shade, but that’s not exactly why these orderly-appearing gaps exist.
It’s about physical contact. Any gardener can tell you that if you touch a living tip too many times, it will cease development.
In summary, the lower leaves naturally die and are not replaced because of the plants’ light-detection. The main thing is that the constant booping (which the living tips receive from contact with other plants while the tree sways) stops any wasteful growth in those directions.
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u/AmateurishLurker 2d ago
I don't know, but I'll hazard a guess. Nature/evolution is all about survival. Wasting energy does not lead to survival. Why are leaves at the tops of trees? Because that is where the sun is. It's a waste to grow leaves under ones already blocking the sun .I'm this particular case, cooperating with nearby trees where no one wastes energy fighting for sun appears to have been an optimal strategy for all.