Growth dominance and growth efficiency in response to thinning treatments in Chinese fir plantations with long-term spacing trials

•Growth dominance (GD) in response to thinning/spacing trials was explored.•Growth efficiency (GE) in response to thinning/spacing trials was explored.•GD and GE were not significantly different between planting densities.•GD increased with cumulative thinning intensities, while stand GE showed the reverse pattern.•GD was the consequence of GE differentiation between small and large trees of stand.