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Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol 202, Issue 23 3281-3284, Copyright © 1999 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

The aerodynamics and hydrodynamics of plants

AR Ennos
School of Biological Sciences, Manchester University, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK. r.ennos@man.ac.uk

Because they grow away from their substratum to compete for light, plants have to withstand hydrodynamic or aerodynamic drag. Both water and land plants reconfigure in response to this drag, and this is presumed to reduce the risk of mechanical failure. However, there is little unequivocal evidence of drag reduction in large trees as a result of reconfiguration. Land plants must also transport water internally to their tissues, and many have developed xylem tracheids and vessels that help speed up this process. Recent evidence that tree height is limited by water supply suggests that water transport efficiency must be a crucial element in tree design. However, the resistance of many parts of the xylem is still unknown. More focused work is urgently required to shed light on the evolution and ecology of plants in relation to the flow of fluids.
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© The Company of Biologists Ltd 1999