Spatial variation in growing season heat sums within northern hardwood forest canopy gaps

Canopy gaps are important features in forest ecosystems, influencing plant species composition and animal habitat. The authors examined temperature records from gaps with diameter to height ratios of 2 to 1 and 4 to 1, and created maps of heat sums within the gaps. The results of our analysis show spatial variations within the gaps, as well as how these variations depend on gap size.