Perspectives of Branching Pattern and Branching Density in 30 WoodyTrees and Shrubs in Tamulipan Thornscrub, Northeast of Mexico

In the context of the ecological perspectives, there is growing attention in the modelling of the morphological structure of the plants for developing the model of the functional processes of plants. The branching pattern functions as solar panel in the capture of solar radiation for the production of biomass and timber. The present study undertaken with the objective of determining the density of branching and types of branching of 30 tree species (trees and shrubs of Tamaulipan thorn scrub such; Helietta parvifolia, Sargentia gregii, Guaiacum angustifolium, Ebenopsis ebano, Harvadia pallens, Condalia hoockeri, Zanthoxylum fagara , Cordia boissieri, Acacia berlandieri, Diospyros texana, Celtis pallida, Forestiera angustifolia, Diospyros palmeri, Parkinsonia texana, Acacia farnesiana, Sideroxylon celastrina, Caesalpinia mexicana, Karwinskia humboldtiana, Croton suaveolens, Amyris texana, Leucaena leucocephala, Ehretia anacua, Gymnosperma glutinosum, Celtis laevigata, Acacia rigidula, Acacia shaffneri, Eysenhardtia polystachya, Prosopis laevigata, Bernardia myricifolia and Leucophyllum frutescens located at the experimental field of Forest Science Faculty of Autonoma de Nuevo en Linares, N.L., Mexico has shown a large variability in the density and branching patterns. The types of branching observed are; monopodial, pseudomonopodial, and sympodial. The branching density observed through animation photography in the field has revealed the presence of three types branching density i.e., high, medium and low density. There existed differences in height, biomass, basal trunk, the angle of the primary and secondary branches. With respect to branching density, a higher number of species were high density (15 species), followed by low density (9) and medium density (5 species). The architecture of the tree is the result of the activity of the apical and axial meristems. This model is a strategy for occupying the space and capture of solar radiation.