Ontogenetic changes in root and shoot respiration, fresh mass, and surface area of Fagus crenata.

Our results suggest a gradual shift in allocation priorities of metabolic energy from root in seedlings to shoot in mature trees, providing insights into how roots contribute to shoot and whole-plant growth during ontogeny. The models of root:shoot ratio in relation to whole-plant physiology could be applied in tree growth modelling, and in linking the different levels of ecological phenomena, from individuals to ecosystems.