DATA - Self-Thinning Principle in Interspecific Variations

This dataset contains the data underlying the study on the Self‑Thinning Principle (size–density compensation) in tropical forage grasses with contrasting strategies. We compared Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu (MA) and Brachiaria humidicola cv. Dictyoneura (DI) grown as miniature swards maintained at fixed target heights across blocks. The data support tests of interspecific allometric convergence, production similarity, and orthogonal distance to the theoretical −3/2 self‑thinning line.
Experimental design. Two species (MA, DI) × four target sward heights (1–4) in three blocks (replicates). Plots were managed at constant height; measurements were taken under stable canopy conditions.
File.
SelfThinningBrachiaria.xlsx – main table used in the analyses.
Sheet “IS" – "Production” contains one row per species × height × block.
Variables (columns).
IE:
Species – MA or DI.
Height – target sward height (categorical levels 1–4).
Block – experimental block (1–3).
Production (g DM m‑2 day‑1) – daily dry‑matter production rate.
TPD – tiller population density (tillers m‑2).
TS (g tiller‑1) – mean tiller size (g tiller‑1).
LAI – leaf area index.
SLA (cm2 g‑1) – specific leaf area.
NNI – nitrogen nutrition index (dimensionless).
R – leaf:stem ratio.
Distance – orthogonal distance to the theoretical self‑thinning line (−3/2), used as an allometric deviation metric.

Production:
Time‑series of cumulative dry‑matter production ( (g DM m‑2 day‑1) for two Brachiaria species

Units & quality control. Units are given in the headers; continuous variables were screened for outliers and completeness prior to analysis.
Keywords. Self-thinning rule, Allometry, Resource-use strategies, Functional traits, Pasture management, Tiller population density, Yoda’s law
Funding & acknowledgments. Work supported by UDESC and partners acknowledged in the manuscript. No ethical approval was required.