Table 1. Annotated experimental design.

Annotated experimental design evaluating how carbon sink–source relationships and compensatory plant growth operate under different intensities and frequencies of simulated defoliation of aspen seedlings, with or without fertilizer treatments. Number of replicates is 7 for all treatments. No harvest was performed after the first defoliation.

Intensity level	Control (0% reduction) 1						LOW (25% reduction in leaf area)						HIGH (75% reduction in leaf area)
Frequency	–		–		–		2		3		4		2		3		4
Fertilization	F	NF	F	NF	F	NF	F	NF	F	NF	F	NF	F	NF	F	NF	F	NF
Harvest and defoliation schedule
1st D May 12–13	–	–	–	–	–	–	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
2nd D May 26–27	–	–	–	–	–	–	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
3rd D & 1st H June 9–10	H	H	–	–	–	–	H	H	D	D	D	D	H	H	D	D	D	D
4th D & 2nd H June 23–24			H	H	–	–			H	H	D	D			H	H	D	D
3rd H July 7–8					H	H					H	H					H	H

Notes.

Experimental treatments

F

Fertilized

NF

Not fertilized

Experimental tasks

D

Defoliation

H

Harvest