During the last decades plant demography has gained a major understanding of key processes based on the application of retrospective and prospective analyses of projection matrix models (e.g, population viability analyses, effects of herbivory, fire, rainfall or drought, invasive species, density-dependent mechanisms, succession, habitat fragmentation, etc). The wide usage of these tools has given rise to over 230 published works, ranging from annual plants to sequoias. This session will discuss general demographic patterns from comparative studies, reviews and meta-analyses on the demography of plant species.