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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.
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