Life-history traits, such as shade tolerance, may also affect C concentration
due to its important role in plant C balance (Pons and
Poorter, 2014). For instance, shade tolerance affects the survival
and growth of plants by influencing C uptake (i.e., photosynthesis)
and C release (i.e., respiration) in response to limited light availability
(Hillebrand and Matthiessen, 2009). Yet, empirical evidence is
still scarce on the influence of contrasting shade tolerance on plant
tissue C concentration. Moreover, previous studies have detected
diverse relationships between tree C concentration and other traits
related to shade tolerance, including wood density and growth rate
(Elias and Potvin, 2003; Martin and Thomas, 2011; Becker et al.,
2012). These mixed results, however, may be attributable to lack
of consideration of tree ontogenetic variation on C concentration
(Martin and Thomas, 2013). Further examination of the interaction