Plant Physics

Niklas Karl J., Spatz Hanns-Christof

From Galileo, who used the hollow stalks of grass to demonstrate the idea that peripherally located construction materials provide most of the resistance to bending forces, to Leonardo da Vinci, whose illustrations of the parachute are alleged to be based on his study of the dandelion's pappus and the maple tree's samara, many of our greatest physicists, mathematicians, and engineers have learned much from studying plants.

A symbiotic relationship between botany and the fields of physics, mathematics, engineering, and chemistry continues today, as is revealed in "Plant Physics". The result of a long-term collaboration between plant evolutionary biologist Karl J. Niklas and physicist Hanns-Christof Spatz, "Plant Physics" presents a detailed account of the principles of classical physics, evolutionary theory, and plant biology in order to explain the complex interrelationships among plant form, function, environment, and evolutionary history. Covering a wide range of topics – from the development and evolution of the basic plant body and the ecology of aquatic unicellular plants to mathematical treatments of light attenuation through tree canopies and the movement of water through plants' roots, stems, and leaves – "Plant Physics" is destined to inspire students and professionals alike to traverse disciplinary membranes.

Reviews

"Here's the physical world of plants in all its splendor – and multidimensionality – brought to bear on the rich diversity of both extant and extinct forms. Niklas and Spatz's theme, which deserves attention, is that since plants (and animals, of course) cannot change physics, physical laws and processes must bear strongly on the course of their evolution" – Steven Vogel, Duke University

"Karl J. Niklas and Hanns-Christof Spatz have written a remarkable book, unique in the field of biomechanics. Starting from basic physical principles, it explains a wide range of phenomena in plants, from fluid transport to the dispersal of seeds in air and water to structural behavior. The experimental and theoretical tools described provide a useful primer. A valuable reference for researchers interested in how plants work from a physical perspective" – Lorna Gibson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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