Weak competitive ability may explain decline of Taxus baccata

• Context Taxus woodlands suffer from a lack of natural regeneration across its whole distribution range. • Aims In Knyazhdvir Reserve in Ukraine Taxus baccata primarily competes with Abies alba. It has been assumed that in the conditions of deep shade, yews have a greater competitive advantage than firs. • Methods To verify this hypothesis, a plot with both species growing under the canopy was established. Wood samples were taken from 20 trees of T. baccata and 20 trees of A. alba. • Results There were no differences in the mean tree-ring width, height and age between both species. Due to a lack of spatial separation of both species, yews and firs inhabited the same area in the analysed plot. Fir seedlings (up to 0.5 m) were recorded to grow under yew saplings (above 0.5 m), but the inverse situation of yew seedlings growing under fir saplings was not seen. • Conclusion Seedling distribution, tree-ring growth rate, possibility of growth of fir seedlings under yew saplings and greater potential growth suggested that fir was predisposed to having the competitive edge over yew. Our results may confirm the hypothesis that T. baccata has a restricted distribution because of weak competitive abilities and can exist only in habitats where faster growing species are absent. The results call into question the prevailing opinion that human influences are the principal cause for the decline of T. baccata.