Effect of local stand structure on leaf area, growth, and growth efficiency following thinning of white spruce

•We studied influence of stand structure on thinning response in spruce plantations.•Growing space was expressed as area potentially available to each tree.•Leaf area was related to growing space but growth efficiency was not related.•Tree growth increased with growing space and was positively related to leaf area.•Thinning increased tree growth by increasing leaf area and not growth efficiency.