Biomechanics of Bark Patterning in Grasstree
Keywords:
Bark pattern, fracture mechanics, primary and secondary growth, biomechanical model
Abstract
Bark patterns are a visually important characteristic of trees, attributed to fractures caused by secondary growth of the trunk and branches. A detailed understanding of bark patterns has been impeded by insufficient information regarding biomechanical properties of bark and the corresponding difficulties in faithfully modeling bark fractures using continuum mechanics. Here we focus on grasstrees, which have an unusual bark-like structure composed of distinct leaf bases connected by sticky resin. Due to its discrete character, this structure is exceptionally well suited for computational studies. We created a dynamic grasstree model, which captures both the phyllotactic patterning of the leaf bases during primary growth and the emergence of fractures due to secondary growth. The model reproduces key features of grasstree bark patterns, including inhomogeneities due to compression of leaf bases at the sites of inflorescences.
Published
2013-06-03
Issue
Section
1A Modelling plant structure
Authors who publish with this proceedings volume agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the Conference organisers right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this proceedings volume.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the proceeding's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this proceedings volume.
