SHORT COMMUNICATION Effects of positive interactions, size symmetry of competition and abiotic stress on self-thinning in simulated plant populations

Cheng-Jin Chu1, Jacob Weiner2, Fernando T. Maestre3, You-Shi Wang4, Charles Morris5, Sa Xiao1, Jian-Li Yuan1, Guo-Zhen Du1 and Gang Wang1,* MOE Key Laboratory of Arid and Grassland Ecology at Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China, Department of Agriculture and Ecology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-1958 Frederiksberg, Denmark, Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biologı́a y Geologı́a, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, c/ Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain, MOE Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental System at Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China and Centre for Plants and Environment, University of Western Sydney, Richmond NSW 2753, Australia * For correspondence. E-mail [email protected] or [email protected]