Bioengineering is the branch of biology which applies the methods of engineering and physics to the study of biological phenomena, and the vocabulary of technology to describe them. Particularly with respect to the mechanics of movement and other physiological processes, the advantages of this approach are obvious. But other fields of study also reveal new insights when biotechnical research methods are applied, and one of these is the comparative morphology of biological structures. At the very least, description in technical terms permits complete, concise organization of a field of research, provides a means of describing biological forms in terms consistent with their function, and aids in working out interpretations based on structural design and functional anatomy. It is from this point of view that the present book describes and discusses, on a comparative basis, biological mechanisms of at tachment. Although these are among the simplest biological mechanisms, they are fascinating in their diversity. This presentation is, in a way, an outgrowth of that encyclopedic drive which is within every scientist. Over the years, whole libraries of books have been scanned as a result of this general curiosity; the library of the Munich Zoological Institute has proved a particularly valuable source of information. This little book is a much ab breviated distillation of the several thousand file cards which resulted from this urge to collect.

Ecology is the science of the relationships between living organisms and their envi ronment . . It is concerned with the web of interactions involved in the circulation of matter and the flow of energy that makes possible life on earth, and with the adapta tions of organisms to the conditions under which they survive. Given the multitude of diverse organisms, the plant ecologist focuses upon the plants, investigating the influence of environmental factors on the character of the vegetation and the be havior of the individual plant species. Plant ecophysiology, a discipline within plant ecology, is concerned fundamentally with the physiology of plants as it is modified by fluctuating external influences. The aim of this book is to convey the conceptual framework upon which this discipline is based, to offer insights into the basic mechanisms and interactions within the system "plant and environment," and to present examples of current problems in this rap idly developing area. Among the topics discussed are the vital processes of plants, their metabolism and energy transformations as they are affected by environmental factors, and the ability of these organisms to adapt to such factors. It is assumed that the reader has a background in the fundamentals of plant physiology; the physiological bases of the phenomena of interest will be mentioned only to the extent necessary for an understanding of the ecological relationships."

The wealth of the natural sciences no longer consists in the abundance of facts, but in the way they are linked together. ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT There is no dearth of books on ecology. Why write yet another? Each person is different, and each views the problems in a different way. Each emphasizes different aspects and describes them in a different style. When I was a student I often found certain books more helpful than others, and I still think it is useful to have a variety of presentations from which to choose. This variety also allows the student to appreciate the diversity within the field of ecology. I have devoted considerable effort to making this book readable. Throughout I have refrained from using specialized terminology - thus also avoiding the problem that many terms are used differently in the various areas of ecology. Straightforward English is quite sufficient to describe complicated situations. Furthermore, precisely defined terms are usually associated with detailed quantitative descriptions, whereas we are concerned with a general understanding of the dynamics of ecology. For similar reasons I have tried to rely as little as possible on mathematical discussions. All too often, in recent years, people have overlooked the fact that mathematics - like language - can give only a description, albeit an especially precise one.