Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3140, USA.
J Exp Bot. 2022 Feb 24;73(4):1104-1121. doi: 10.1093/jxb/erab536.
Macroalgae and seagrasses in coastal habitats are exposed to turbulent water currents and waves that deform them and can rip them off the substratum, but that also transport essential water-borne substances to them and disperse their propagules and wastes. Field studies of the physical environment, ecological interactions, and life history strategies of marine macrophytes reveal which aspects of their biomechanical performance are important to their success in different types of natural habitats and enable us to design ecologically relevant laboratory experiments to study biomechanical function. Morphology and tissue mechanical properties determine the hydrodynamic forces on macrophytes and their fate when exposed to those forces, but different mechanical designs can perform well in the same biophysical habitat. There is a trade-off between maximizing photosynthesis and minimizing breakage, and some macrophytes change their morphology in response to environmental cues. Water flow in marine habitats varies on a wide range of temporal and spatial scales, so diverse flow microhabitats can occur at the same site. Likewise, the size, shape, and tissue material properties of macrophytes change as they grow and age, so it is important to understand the different physical challenges met by macrophytes throughout their lives.
沿海生境中的大型藻类和海草会暴露在动荡的水流和波浪中，这些水流和波浪会使它们变形，并将它们从基底上撕裂，但也会将重要的水载物质输送给它们，并传播它们的繁殖体和废物。对海洋大型植物的物理环境、生态相互作用和生活史策略的实地研究揭示了它们生物力学性能的哪些方面对它们在不同类型的自然生境中的成功至关重要，并使我们能够设计生态相关的实验室实验来研究生物力学功能。形态和组织力学特性决定了大型植物所受水动力的大小以及它们在暴露于这些力时的命运，但不同的机械设计可以在相同的生物物理生境中表现良好。在最大化光合作用和最小化断裂之间存在权衡，一些大型植物会根据环境线索改变其形态。海洋生境中的水流在时间和空间上变化范围很广，因此在同一地点可能会出现不同的流动微生境。同样，大型植物的大小、形状和组织材料特性会随着它们的生长和衰老而变化，因此了解大型植物在其整个生命周期中所面临的不同物理挑战非常重要。
