School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia;
Am J Bot. 2006 Oct;93(10):1546-65. doi: 10.3732/ajb.93.10.1546.
Fundamental plant traits such as support, anchorage, and protection against environmental stress depend substantially on biomechanical design. The costs, subsequent trade-offs, and effects on plant performance of mechanical traits are not well understood, but it appears that many of these traits have evolved in response to abiotic and biotic mechanical forces and resource deficits. The relationships between environmental stresses and mechanical traits can be specific and direct, as in responses to strong winds, with structural reinforcement related to plant survival. Some traits such as leaf toughness might provide protection from multiple forms of stress. In both cases, the adaptive value of mechanical traits may vary between habitats, so is best considered in the context of the broader growth environment, not just of the proximate stress. Plants can also show considerable phenotypic plasticity in mechanical traits, allowing adjustment to changing environments across a range of spatial and temporal scales. However, it is not always clear whether a mechanical property is adaptive or a consequence of the physiology associated with stress. Mechanical traits do not only affect plant survival; evidence suggests they have downstream effects on ecosystem organization and functioning (e.g., diversity, trophic relationships, and productivity), but these remain poorly explored.
基本的植物特征，如支撑、固定和抵御环境压力，在很大程度上取决于生物力学设计。机械特征的成本、后续权衡以及对植物性能的影响还不太清楚，但似乎许多这些特征是为了应对非生物和生物力学的力量以及资源不足而进化而来的。环境压力与机械特征之间的关系可能是具体和直接的，例如对强风的反应，结构强化与植物的生存有关。有些特征，如叶片韧性，可能提供对多种形式压力的保护。在这两种情况下，机械特征的适应价值可能因栖息地而异，因此最好在更广泛的生长环境背景下考虑，而不仅仅是直接的压力。植物在机械特征上也表现出相当大的表型可塑性，允许在不同的空间和时间尺度上对不断变化的环境进行调整。然而，机械特性是适应性的，还是与压力相关的生理学的结果，并不总是很清楚。机械特征不仅影响植物的生存；有证据表明，它们对生态系统的组织和功能（例如多样性、营养关系和生产力）有下游影响，但这些影响仍在探索中。
