Effects of Wind on Plants

Abstract

This review surveys the large variety of mechanical interactions between wind and plants, from plant organs to plant systems. These interactions range from leaf flutter to uprooting and seed dispersal, as well as indirect effects on photosynthesis or insect communication. I first estimate the relevant nondimensional parameters and then discuss turbulence, plant dynamics, and the mechanisms of interaction in this context. Some common features are identified and analyzed in relation to the wind engineering of manmade structures. Strong coupling between plants and wind exists, in which the plant motion modifies the wind dynamics. I also present some related biological issues in which the relation between plant life and wind environment is emphasized. [V]oici la lourde nappe/Et la profonde houle et l’océan des blés [Like a sheet/The deep swell on a sea of wheat] Charles Péguy (1873–1914)