Lily pads (Nymphaea odorata) exhibit heterophylly where a single plant may have leaves that are submerged, floating, or above (aerial) the surface of the water. Lily pads are placed in a unique situation because each leaf form is exposed to a distinctly different set of mechanical demands. While surface petioles may be loaded in tension under conditions of wind or waves, aerial petioles are loaded in compression because they must support the weight of the lamina.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFoetal dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are bent ventrolaterally, such that the tailflukes and lower jaw are juxtaposed. The lateral flexibility required en utero may compromise the efficiency of the dorsoventral oscillations required of the swimming neonate. The m.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMost biological beams bend and twist relatively easily compared to human-made structures. This paper investigates flexibility in 57 diverse biological beams in an effort to identify common patterns in the relationship between flexural stiffness and torsional stiffness. The patterns are investigated by mapping both ideal and biological beams into a mechanospace defined by flexural and torsional stiffness.
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