Table 1.

Effect of plot size (ha), and the maximum canopy height cut-off used to define gaps (gap height) on the gap-size distribution (λ) and gap area (% of plot area in gaps). (Means are based on 1000 samples. The polygon comprises the 992 ha of the landscape where all plot sizes could fit. The landscape comprises the entire island, excluding the shores and the laboratory clearing, with an area of 1484 ha.)

	maximum canopy height cut-off for gap identification
	2 m		5 m		10 m
plot size	λ	gap area	λ	gap area	λ	gap area
10 ha	2.45 (0.42)	0.40 (0.20)	2.05 (0.25)	1.43 (0.70)	1.82 (0.11)	5.49 (2.18)
50 ha	2.36 (0.19)	0.42 (0.13)	2.00 (0.11)	1.52 (0.48)	1.77 (0.06)	6.08 (1.52)
100 ha	2.36 (0.13)	0.43 (0.09)	1.99 (0.05)	1.60 (0.34)	1.76 (0.04)	6.17 (1.12)
polygon	2.41 (0.03)	0.43 (n.a.)	2.03 (0.02)	1.59 (n.a.)	1.78 (0.01)	6.10 (n.a.)
landscape	2.37 (0.03)	0.41 (n.a.)	2.04 (0.01)	1.42 (n.a.)	1.78 (0.01)	6.04 (n.a.)