Niklas Karl J
Department of Plant Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Tree Physiol. 2007 Mar;27(3):433-40. doi: 10.1093/treephys/27.3.433.
Basic engineering theory and empirically determined allometric relationships for the biomass partitioning patterns of extant tree-sized plants show that the mechanical requirements for vertical growth do not impose intrinsic limits on the maximum heights that can be reached by species with woody, self-supporting stems. This implies that maximum tree height is constrained by other factors, among which hydraulic constraints are plausible. A review of the available information on scaling relationships observed for large tree-sized plants, nevertheless, indicates that mechanical and hydraulic requirements impose dual restraints on plant height and thus, may play equally (but differentially) important roles during the growth of arborescent, large-sized species. It may be the case that adaptations to mechanical and hydraulic phenomena have optimized growth, survival and reproductive success rather than longevity and mature size.
基础工程理论以及根据现存树木大小的植物生物量分配模式通过实证确定的异速生长关系表明，垂直生长的机械需求不会对具有木质、自支撑茎干的物种所能达到的最大高度施加内在限制。这意味着最大树木高度受到其他因素的限制，其中水力限制是合理的。然而，对大型树木大小的植物所观察到的比例关系的现有信息进行回顾表明，机械和水力需求对植物高度施加了双重限制，因此，在乔木状大型物种的生长过程中可能发挥同等（但有所不同）重要的作用。情况可能是，对机械和水力现象的适应优化了生长、存活和繁殖成功率，而非寿命和成熟大小。
