I just learned about this phenomenon where the crowns of fully stocked trees do not touch each other, creating distinct gaps in the canopy.
I learned about crown shyness after reading A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers. In the book, crown shyness was used as a bit of a metaphor (or maybe more a simile) for some central themes, namely our ability to co-exist together as inhabitants of our planet.
Crown shyness is a fascinating phenomenon where the crowns of fully stocked trees do not touch each other, creating distinct gaps in the canopy. This behavior is most commonly observed in the same species of trees but can also occur between different species1. The exact cause is still debated, but theories include mutual light sensing, physical abrasion from wind, and the prevention of insect or disease spread.
Wikipedia
I feel like the character in the book who had never noticed this phenomenon before, but once they did, they couldn’t unsee it.
Comments welcome!