A Review on Stand Density──about the 3/2 Power Law

The results on the 3/2 power law of self-thinning in plant populations,whichhave been studied in past 30 years, are reviewed.Through re-evaluating the 3/2 power lawand it's application to upper boundary of stand self-thinning,it is concluded that the 3/2 power law is not suitable for describing size-density relationship,because there were changesof crown form and gap dynamic in course of stand development.It is suggested that the theory of stand density should be rebuilt by using dynamics of relations between tree size andnumber of trees within the stand.