Theory 20/Temperate Forest/Mast seeding
Masting Needs Reserves
The claim
Mast seeding occurs only when stored resources exceed a threshold, so masting years follow years of high photosynthesis rather than years of warm weather.
01Mechanism
Seed production is expensive; trees build reserves and spend them in a single year, which is why masting is synchronised and intermittent.
02Prediction
Masting should track prior reserves.
03Refutation
Masting tracking current weather would remove the reserve term.