1. Apical buds of mountain birches were clipped to simulate browsing by herbivores, and leaf traits of the subsequent leaf generation were recorded.
2. Clipping of only one quiescent apical bud from tips of all branches in winter induced the whole ramet to produce short shoot leaves which were significantly larger and contained more water compared with leaves of unmanipulated ramets of the same birch individual. Such leaves were previously shown to be more suitable for herbivores than leaves of unmanipulated control trees. 
3. Increasing the number of clipped buds to three or four per branch further intensified the responses. This demonstrated the importance of apical meristems for the regulation of resource allocation to growing short shoot leaves. Tree-by-treatment interactions were significant, indicating individual responses of the trees. 
4. Removal of expanding apical buds in spring at the time of bud break induced responses that were similar to those in trees clipped in winter. Again individual trees responded differently so that the tree-by-treatment interaction was significant but the main effect of treatment was only marginally significant. Trees with advanced bud expansion did not respond, or responded only weakly, to the clipping treatment, whereas trees with delayed bud development still responded. Late leafing characterizes small-leaved dwarf birch-type trees and there was a significant negative correlation between leaf size in control ramets and increase in leaf size caused by spring clipping of buds. 
5. The sensitivity of mountain birch to disturbances of apical dominance might make it possible for herbivores to manipulate the quality of their food resource.