1
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Yang J, Shankar MR, Zeng H. Photochemically responsive polymer films enable tunable gliding flights. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4684. [PMID: 38824184 PMCID: PMC11144244 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49108-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Miniaturized passive fliers based on smart materials face challenges in precise control of shape-morphing for aerodynamics and contactless modulation of diverse gliding modes. Here, we present the optical control of gliding performances in azobenzene-crosslinked liquid crystal networks films through photochemical actuation, enabling reversible and bistable shape-morphing. First, an actuator film is integrated with additive constructs to form a rotating glider, inspired by the natural maple samara, surpassing natural counterparts in reversibly optical tuning of terminal velocity, rotational rate, and circling position. We demonstrate optical modulation dispersion of landing points for the photo-responsive microfliers indoors and outdoors. Secondly, we show the scalability of polymer film geometry for miniature gliders with similar light tunability. Thirdly, we extend the material platform to other three gliding modes: Javan cucumber seed-like glider, parachute and artificial dandelion seed. The findings pave the way for distributed microflier with contactless flight dynamics control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfeng Yang
- Light Robots, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, P.O. Box 541, Tampere, Finland
| | - M Ravi Shankar
- Department of Industrial Engineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hao Zeng
- Light Robots, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Tampere University, P.O. Box 541, Tampere, Finland.
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2
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Cullen E, Hay A. Creating an explosion: Form and function in explosive fruit. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 79:102543. [PMID: 38688200 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2024.102543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Adaptations for seed dispersal are found everywhere in nature. However, only a fraction of this diversity is accessible through the study of model organisms. For example, Arabidopsis seeds are released by dehiscent fruit; and although many genes required for dehiscence have been identified, the genetic basis for the vast majority of seed dispersal strategies remains understudied. Explosive fruit generate mechanical forces to launch seeds over a wide area. Recent work indicates that key innovations required for explosive dispersal lie in localised lignin deposition and precise patterns of microtubule-dependent growth in the fruit valves, rather than dehiscence zone structure. These insights come from comparative approaches, which extend the reach of developmental genetics by developing experimental tools in less well-studied species, such as the Arabidopsis relative, Cardamine hirsuta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Cullen
- Department of Comparative Development and Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Cologne, Germany
| | - Angela Hay
- Department of Comparative Development and Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Cologne, Germany.
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3
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Iida N, Matsumoto M. A Sheet-Shaped Transforming Robot That Can Be Thrown from the Air. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:287. [PMID: 38786497 PMCID: PMC11117557 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9050287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we describe a sheet-shaped throwable transforming robot. Sheet-type robots can change their shape to perform tasks according to the situation. Therefore, they are expected to be useful in places with many restrictions, such as disaster sites. However, most of them can only move slowly on the ground. Therefore, in order to actually deliver the robot to the disaster site, it must be carried manually. To solve this problem, we are developing a sheet-shaped robot that can be thrown from the sky. Previously developed prototypes could only move in the forward direction, and the transition from falling to walking was complicated and uncertain. In this paper, we report on a new prototype that improves on these shortcomings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mitsuharu Matsumoto
- Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, University of Electro-Communications, 1-5-1, Chofugaoka, Chofu-shi, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan;
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4
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Liu X, Zhao Z, Xu S, Zhang J, Zhou Y, He Y, Yamaguchi T, Ouyang H, Tanaka T, Chen MK, Shi S, Qi F, Tsai DP. Meta-Lens Particle Image Velocimetry. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2310134. [PMID: 38042993 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202310134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Fluid flow behavior is visualized through particle image velocimetry (PIV) for understanding and studying experimental fluid dynamics. However, traditional PIV methods require multiple cameras and conventional lens systems for image acquisition to resolve multi-dimensional velocity fields. In turn, it introduces complexity to the entire system. Meta-lenses are advanced flat optical devices composed of artificial nanoantenna arrays. It can manipulate the wavefront of light with the advantages of ultrathin, compact, and no spherical aberration. Meta-lenses offer novel functionalities and promise to replace traditional optical imaging systems. Here, a binocular meta-lens PIV technique is proposed, where a pair of GaN meta-lenses are fabricated on one substrate and integrated with a imaging sensor to form a compact binocular PIV system. The meta-lens weigh only 116 mg, much lighter than commercial lenses. The 3D velocity field can be obtained by the binocular disparity and particle image displacement information of fluid flow. The measurement error of vortex-ring diameter is ≈1.25% experimentally validates via a Reynolds-number (Re) 2000 vortex-ring. This work demonstrates a new development trend for the PIV technique for rejuvenating traditional flow diagnostic tools toward a more compact, easy-to-deploy technique. It enables further miniaturization and low-power systems for portable, field-use, and space-constrained PIV applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyuan Liu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Zhou Zhao
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Shengming Xu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Jingcheng Zhang
- Department of Electrical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Yin Zhou
- Department of Electrical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Yulun He
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Takeshi Yamaguchi
- Innovative Photon Manipulation Research Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Hua Ouyang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Takuo Tanaka
- Innovative Photon Manipulation Research Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
- Metamaterial Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
- Institute of Post-LED Photonics, Tokushima University, Tokushima, 770-8506, Japan
| | - Mu Ku Chen
- Department of Electrical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
- The State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
- Centre for Biosystems, Neuroscience, and Nanotechnology, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Shengxian Shi
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Fei Qi
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Din Ping Tsai
- Department of Electrical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
- The State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
- Centre for Biosystems, Neuroscience, and Nanotechnology, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 999077, China
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5
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Zhang T, Elomaa P. Development and evolution of the Asteraceae capitulum. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 242:33-48. [PMID: 38361269 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Asteraceae represent one of the largest and most diverse families of plants. The evolutionary success of this family has largely been contributed to their unique inflorescences, capitula that mimic solitary flowers but are typically aggregates of multiple florets. Here, we summarize the recent molecular and genetic level studies that have promoted our understanding of the development and evolution of capitula. We focus on new results on patterning of the enlarged meristem resulting in the iconic phyllotactic arrangement of florets in Fibonacci numbers of spirals. We also summarize the current understanding of the genetic networks regulating the characteristic reproductive traits in the family such as floral dimorphism and differentiation of highly specialized floral organs. So far, developmental studies in Asteraceae are still limited to a very narrow selection of model species. Along with the recent advancements in genomics and phylogenomics, Asteraceae and its relatives provide an outstanding model clade for extended evo-devo studies to exploit the morphological diversity and the underlying molecular networks and to translate this knowledge to the breeding of the key crops in the family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng Zhang
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, PO Box 27, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Paula Elomaa
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, PO Box 27, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
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Mosca G, Eng RC, Adibi M, Yoshida S, Lane B, Bergheim L, Weber G, Smith RS, Hay A. Growth and tension in explosive fruit. Curr Biol 2024; 34:1010-1022.e4. [PMID: 38359820 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.01.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Exploding seed pods of the common weed Cardamine hirsuta have the remarkable ability to launch seeds far from the plant. The energy for this explosion comes from tension that builds up in the fruit valves. Above a critical threshold, the fruit fractures along its dehiscence zone and the two valves coil explosively, ejecting the seeds. A common mechanism to generate tension is drying, causing tissues to shrink. However, this does not happen in C. hirsuta fruit. Instead, tension is produced by active contraction of growing exocarp cells in the outer layer of the fruit valves. Exactly how growth causes the exocarp tissue to contract and generate pulling force is unknown. Here we show that the reorientation of microtubules in the exocarp cell cortex changes the orientation of cellulose microfibrils in the cell wall and the consequent cellular growth pattern. We used mechanical modeling to show how tension emerges through growth due to the highly anisotropic orientation of load-bearing cellulose microfibrils and their effect on cell shape. By explicitly defining the cell wall as multi-layered in our model, we discovered that a cross-lamellate pattern of cellulose microfibrils further enhances the developing tension in growing cells. Therefore, the interplay of cell wall properties with turgor-driven growth enables the fruit exocarp to generate sufficient tension to power explosive seed dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Mosca
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Köln, Germany; Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching b. Munich, Germany
| | - Ryan C Eng
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Köln, Germany
| | - Milad Adibi
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Köln, Germany
| | - Saiko Yoshida
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Köln, Germany
| | - Brendan Lane
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Köln, Germany; John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Leona Bergheim
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Köln, Germany
| | - Gaby Weber
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Köln, Germany
| | - Richard S Smith
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Köln, Germany; John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Angela Hay
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Köln, Germany.
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7
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Kim JT, Yoon HJ, Cheng S, Liu F, Kang S, Paudel S, Cho D, Luan H, Lee M, Jeong G, Park J, Huang YT, Lee SE, Cho M, Lee G, Han M, Kim BH, Yan J, Park Y, Jung S, Chamorro LP, Rogers JA. Functional bio-inspired hybrid fliers with separated ring and leading edge vortices. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae110. [PMID: 38516273 PMCID: PMC10957237 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Recent advances in passive flying systems inspired by wind-dispersed seeds contribute to increasing interest in their use for remote sensing applications across large spatial domains in the Lagrangian frame of reference. These concepts create possibilities for developing and studying structures with performance characteristics and operating mechanisms that lie beyond those found in nature. Here, we demonstrate a hybrid flier system, fabricated through a process of controlled buckling, to yield unusual geometries optimized for flight. Specifically, these constructs simultaneously exploit distinct fluid phenomena, including separated vortex rings from features that resemble those of dandelion seeds and the leading-edge vortices derived from behaviors of maple seeds. Advanced experimental measurements and computational simulations of the aerodynamics and induced flow physics of these hybrid fliers establish a concise, scalable analytical framework for understanding their flight mechanisms. Demonstrations with functional payloads in various forms, including bioresorbable, colorimetric, gas-sensing, and light-emitting platforms, illustrate examples with diverse capabilities in sensing and tracking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Tae Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Hong-Joon Yoon
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Gachon University, Gyeonggi-do 13120, Republic of Korea
| | - Shyuan Cheng
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Fei Liu
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Soohyeon Kang
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Shashwot Paudel
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Donghwi Cho
- Advanced Materials Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Haiwen Luan
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Minkyu Lee
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Gooyoon Jeong
- Department of Advanced Materials Engineering for Information and Electronics, Integrated Education Institute for Frontier Science & Technology (BK21 Four), Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, 17104, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaehong Park
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Yu-Ting Huang
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Su Eon Lee
- Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Cho
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Geonhee Lee
- Advanced Materials Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Mengdi Han
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Future Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Bong Hoon Kim
- Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinhui Yan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Yoonseok Park
- Department of Advanced Materials Engineering for Information and Electronics, Integrated Education Institute for Frontier Science & Technology (BK21 Four), Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, 17104, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunghwan Jung
- Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Leonardo P Chamorro
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - John A Rogers
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
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8
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Zhang W, Liang D, Tan D, Mei Y, Zhou X. Enhancement of aerodynamic performance of a bristled wing by elliptic cylinders. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2024; 19:026010. [PMID: 38314670 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ad2115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Enhancing the aerodynamic performance of bristled wings is an important topic for small flying robotics. This paper numerically investigates this situation at very low Reynolds numbers by using elliptic cylinders as the bristles instead of circular cylinders. Optimal configuration of the bristled wing with five elliptic cylinders is obtained, which corresponds to the maximum lift. The results show that, compared with the case of circular cylindrical bristles, the aerodynamic performance of the elliptical bristles can be enhanced effectively. The enhancement can be more significant as the aspect ratio of the ellipses increases and the gap width decreases. The bristled wing generates more lift compared to a flat-plate wing with a length five times that of the major axis of an ellipse. For the cases that the attack angleαfor the whole wing is equal to those for the elliptical bristlesθ, the optimal attack angle for ellipses maximizing the total lift force of the five-bristle model is between 40° and 45°. Forα ≠θwith the Reynold numberRe≪ 0.1, the optimal ellipse attack angle is between 40° and 45°. Forα ≠θwithRe∼ 1, the optimal ellipse attack angle deviates heavier from the range between 40° and 45° at someαvalues and reaches approximately 32° atα= 20°. This paper can lay a foundation for optimal design of small flying robotics and enhancement of flow through porous structures in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanqiu Zhang
- School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Daxing Liang
- School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People's Republic of China
- Department of Mechanics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Dongwen Tan
- School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaochen Mei
- School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinping Zhou
- School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People's Republic of China
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9
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Johnson K, Arroyos V, Ferran A, Villanueva R, Yin D, Elberier T, Aliseda A, Fuller S, Iyer V, Gollakota S. Solar-powered shape-changing origami microfliers. Sci Robot 2023; 8:eadg4276. [PMID: 37703382 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.adg4276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Using wind to disperse microfliers that fall like seeds and leaves can help automate large-scale sensor deployments. Here, we present battery-free microfliers that can change shape in mid-air to vary their dispersal distance. We designed origami microfliers using bistable leaf-out structures and uncovered an important property: A simple change in the shape of these origami structures causes two dramatically different falling behaviors. When unfolded and flat, the microfliers exhibit a tumbling behavior that increases lateral displacement in the wind. When folded inward, their orientation is stabilized, resulting in a downward descent that is less influenced by wind. To electronically transition between these two shapes, we designed a low-power electromagnetic actuator that produces peak forces of up to 200 millinewtons within 25 milliseconds while powered by solar cells. We fabricated a circuit directly on the folded origami structure that includes a programmable microcontroller, a Bluetooth radio, a solar power-harvesting circuit, a pressure sensor to estimate altitude, and a temperature sensor. Outdoor evaluations show that our 414-milligram origami microfliers were able to electronically change their shape mid-air, travel up to 98 meters in a light breeze, and wirelessly transmit data via Bluetooth up to 60 meters away, using only power collected from the sun.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Johnson
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Vicente Arroyos
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Amélie Ferran
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- LEGI Laboratory, Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble, France
| | - Raul Villanueva
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Dennis Yin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Tilboon Elberier
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Alberto Aliseda
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sawyer Fuller
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Vikram Iyer
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Shyamnath Gollakota
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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10
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Luna Lin Y, Pezzulla M, Reis PM. Fluid-structure interactions of bristled wings: the trade-off between weight and drag. J R Soc Interface 2023; 20:20230266. [PMID: 37700710 PMCID: PMC10498347 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The smallest flying insects often have bristled wings resembling feathers or combs. We combined experiments and three-dimensional numerical simulations to investigate the trade-off between wing weight and drag generation. In experiments of bristled strips, a reduced physical model of the bristled wing, we found that the elasto-viscous number indicates when reconfiguration occurs in the bristles. Analysis of existing biological data suggested that bristled wings of miniature insects lie below the reconfiguration threshold, thus avoiding drag reduction. Numerical simulations of bristled strips showed that there exist optimal numbers of bristles that maximize the weighted drag when the additional volume due to the bristles is taken into account. We found a scaling relationship between the rescaled optimal numbers and the dimensionless bristle length. This result agrees qualitatively with and provides an upper bound for the bristled wing morphological data analysed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuexia Luna Lin
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Flexible Structures Laboratory, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Matteo Pezzulla
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Flexible Structures Laboratory, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Pedro M. Reis
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Flexible Structures Laboratory, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
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11
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Ortega-Jimenez VM, Jusufi A, Brown CE, Zeng Y, Kumar S, Siddall R, Kim B, Challita EJ, Pavlik Z, Priess M, Umhofer T, Koh JS, Socha JJ, Dudley R, Bhamla MS. Air-to-land transitions: from wingless animals and plant seeds to shuttlecocks and bio-inspired robots. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2023; 18:051001. [PMID: 37552773 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/acdb1c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Recent observations of wingless animals, including jumping nematodes, springtails, insects, and wingless vertebrates like geckos, snakes, and salamanders, have shown that their adaptations and body morphing are essential for rapid self-righting and controlled landing. These skills can reduce the risk of physical damage during collision, minimize recoil during landing, and allow for a quick escape response to minimize predation risk. The size, mass distribution, and speed of an animal determine its self-righting method, with larger animals depending on the conservation of angular momentum and smaller animals primarily using aerodynamic forces. Many animals falling through the air, from nematodes to salamanders, adopt a skydiving posture while descending. Similarly, plant seeds such as dandelions and samaras are able to turn upright in mid-air using aerodynamic forces and produce high decelerations. These aerial capabilities allow for a wide dispersal range, low-impact collisions, and effective landing and settling. Recently, small robots that can right themselves for controlled landings have been designed based on principles of aerial maneuvering in animals. Further research into the effects of unsteady flows on self-righting and landing in small arthropods, particularly those exhibiting explosive catapulting, could reveal how morphological features, flow dynamics, and physical mechanisms contribute to effective mid-air control. More broadly, studying apterygote (wingless insects) landing could also provide insight into the origin of insect flight. These research efforts have the potential to lead to the bio-inspired design of aerial micro-vehicles, sports projectiles, parachutes, and impulsive robots that can land upright in unsteady flow conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor M Ortega-Jimenez
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, United States of America
| | - Ardian Jusufi
- Soft Kinetic Group, Engineering Sciences Department, Empa Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Ueberlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland
- University of Zurich, Institutes for Neuroinformatics and Palaeontology, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
- Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Christian E Brown
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Science Center 110, Tampa, FL 33620, United States of America
| | - Yu Zeng
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Science Center 110, Tampa, FL 33620, United States of America
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States of America
| | - Sunny Kumar
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30318, United States of America
| | - Robert Siddall
- Aerial Robotics Lab, Imperial College of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Baekgyeom Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ajou University, Gyeonggi-do 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Elio J Challita
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30318, United States of America
| | - Zoe Pavlik
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, United States of America
| | - Meredith Priess
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, United States of America
| | - Thomas Umhofer
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, United States of America
| | - Je-Sung Koh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ajou University, Gyeonggi-do 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - John J Socha
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States of America
| | - Robert Dudley
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Science Center 110, Tampa, FL 33620, United States of America
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama
| | - M Saad Bhamla
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30318, United States of America
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12
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Speck O, Speck T. Biomimetics in Botanical Gardens-Educational Trails and Guided Tours. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:303. [PMID: 37504191 PMCID: PMC10807481 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8030303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The first botanical gardens in Europe were established for the study of medicinal, poisonous, and herbal plants by students of medicine or pharmacy at universities. As the natural sciences became increasingly important in the 19th Century, botanical gardens additionally took on the role of public educational institutions. Since then, learning from living nature with the aim of developing technical applications, namely biomimetics, has played a special role in botanical gardens. Sir Joseph Paxton designed rainwater drainage channels in the roof of the Crystal Palace for the London World's Fair in 1881, having been inspired by the South American giant water lily (Victoria amazonica). The development of the Lotus-Effect® at the Botanical Garden Bonn was inspired by the self-cleaning leaf surfaces of the sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera). At the Botanic Garden Freiburg, a self-sealing foam coating for pneumatic systems was developed based on the self-sealing of the liana stems of the genus Aristolochia. Currently, botanical gardens are both research institutions and places of lifelong learning. Numerous botanical gardens provide biomimetics trails with information panels at each station for self-study and guided biomimetics tours with simple experiments to demonstrate the functional principles transferred from the biological model to the technical application. We present eight information panels suitable for setting up education about biomimetics and simple experiments to support guided garden tours about biomimetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Speck
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS@FIT—Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 105, 79110 Freiburg, Germany;
- Plant Biomechanics Group@Botanic Garden Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestr. 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Speck
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS@FIT—Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 105, 79110 Freiburg, Germany;
- Plant Biomechanics Group@Botanic Garden Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestr. 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
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13
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Chen Y, Valenzuela C, Zhang X, Yang X, Wang L, Feng W. Light-driven dandelion-inspired microfliers. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3036. [PMID: 37236989 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38792-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In nature, many plants have evolved diverse flight mechanisms to disperse seeds by wind and propagate their genetic information. Inspired by the flight mechanism of the dandelion seeds, we demonstrate light-driven dandelion-inspired microfliers based on ultralight and super-sensitive tubular-shaped bimorph soft actuator. Like dandelion seeds in nature, the falling velocity of the as-proposed microflier in air can be facilely controlled by tailoring the degree of deformation of the "pappus" under different light irradiations. Importantly, the resulting microflier is able to achieve a mid-air flight above a light source with a sustained flight time of ~8.9 s and a maximum flight height of ~350 mm thanks to the unique dandelion-like 3D structures. Unexpectedly, the resulting microflier is found to exhibit light-driven upward flight accompanied by autorotating motion, and the rotation mode can be customized in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction by engineering the shape programmability of bimorph soft actuator films. The research disclosed herein can offer new insights into the development of untethered and energy-efficient artificial aerial vehicles that are of paramount significance for many applications from environmental monitoring and wireless communication to future solar sail and robotic spacecraft.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanhao Chen
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Cristian Valenzuela
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Ling Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China.
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin, 300350, China.
| | - Wei Feng
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China.
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin, 300350, China.
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14
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Ohlendorf R, Tan NYH, Nakayama N. Engineering Themes in Plant Forms and Functions. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 74:777-801. [PMID: 37216204 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-061422-094751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Living structures constantly interact with the biotic and abiotic environment by sensing and responding via specialized functional parts. In other words, biological bodies embody highly functional machines and actuators. What are the signatures of engineering mechanisms in biology? In this review, we connect the dots in the literature to seek engineering principles in plant structures. We identify three thematic motifs-bilayer actuator, slender-bodied functional surface, and self-similarity-and provide an overview of their structure-function relationships. Unlike human-engineered machines and actuators, biological counterparts may appear suboptimal in design, loosely complying with physical theories or engineering principles. We postulate what factors may influence the evolution of functional morphology and anatomy to dissect and comprehend better the why behind the biological forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahel Ohlendorf
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom;
| | | | - Naomi Nakayama
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom;
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15
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Xu Z, Chang X, Meng H, Gao D. Dynamic wake behind a dandelion pappus: PIV and smoke-wire visualization. J Vis (Tokyo) 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s12650-023-00915-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
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16
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Ezra Z, Levavi L, Bar-On B. The load-bearing mechanism of plant wings: A multiscale structural and mechanical analysis of the T. tipu samara. Acta Biomater 2023; 158:423-434. [PMID: 36563776 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.12.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Spinning winged fruits ("helicopter" samaras) generate significant lift forces at relatively low velocities, which enable the wind to disperse them across long distances. The biological material of the samara sustains the aerodynamic loadings and maintains the physical shape of the samara in the air via a yet unknown load-bearing mechanism. Here, positing that this mechanism fundamentally originates from the macro-to-microscale structural and mechanical characteristics of the samara, we use sub-micron computer tomography, electron microscopy, and multi-scale mechanical experiments to map the structural and mechanical characteristics of the tipu tree (Tipuana tipu) samara down to the micrometer length scale. Then, using theoretical models, we characterize the multiscale structural-mechanical principles of the samara and use these principles to disclose the underlying load-bearing mechanism. We found that the structural motifs of the tipu tree samara are closely analogous to various other types and forms of winged fruits, suggesting that this load-bearing mechanism is widespread in plant wings. The structural-mechanical principles governing the samara bear unconventional design concepts, which pave the way toward the development and engineering of small-scale wing elements for miniature aviation platforms with specialized mechanical capabilities. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The biomaterial of plant wings grants them mechanical resistance to flight forces during wind dispersal. "Helicopter seeds" demonstrate an intricate load-bearing mechanism that spans three structure-functional scales of their biomaterial. This mechanism appears widespread in plant wings and may promote novel micro-engineering design guidelines for futuristic flight materials and small-scale aviation platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeneve Ezra
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Liat Levavi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Benny Bar-On
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel.
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17
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Yang J, Zhang H, Berdin A, Hu W, Zeng H. Dandelion-Inspired, Wind-Dispersed Polymer-Assembly Controlled by Light. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2206752. [PMID: 36574479 PMCID: PMC9982548 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202206752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The rise of stimuli-responsive polymers has brought about a wealth of materials for small-scale, wirelessly controlled soft-bodied robots. Thinking beyond conventional robotic mobilities already demonstrated in synthetic systems, such as walking, swimming and jumping, flying in air by dispersal, gliding, or even hovering is a frontier yet to be explored by responsive materials. The demanding requirements for actuator's performance, lightweight, and effective aerodynamic design underlie the grand challenges. Here, a soft matter-based porous structure capable of wind-assisted dispersal and lift-off/landing action under the control of a light beam is reported. The design is inspired by the seed of dandelion, resembling several biomimetic features, i.e., high porosity, lightweight, and separated vortex ring generation under a steady wind flow. Superior to its natural counterparts, this artificial seed is equipped with a soft actuator made of light-responsive liquid crystalline elastomer, which induces reversible opening/closing actions of the bristles upon visible light excitation. This shape-morphing enables manual tuning of terminal velocity, drag coefficient, and wind threshold for dispersal. Optically controlled wind-assisted lift-off and landing actions, and a light-induced local accumulation in descending structures are demonstrated. The results offer novel approaches for wirelessly controlled, miniatured devices that can passively navigate over a large aerial space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfeng Yang
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural SciencesTampere UniversityP.O. Box 541TampereFI‐33101Finland
| | - Hang Zhang
- Department of Applied PhysicsAalto UniversityP.O. Box 15100EspooFI‐02150Finland
| | - Alex Berdin
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural SciencesTampere UniversityP.O. Box 541TampereFI‐33101Finland
| | - Wenqi Hu
- Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart70569StuttgartGermany
| | - Hao Zeng
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural SciencesTampere UniversityP.O. Box 541TampereFI‐33101Finland
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18
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Tuneable electrohydrodynamics of core-shell graphene oxide vortex rings. J Mol Liq 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2023.121341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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19
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Sullivan L. Deciding when to move. eLife 2023; 12:e85477. [PMID: 36719398 PMCID: PMC9889084 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Dandelion seeds respond to wet weather by closing their plumes, which reduces dispersal when wind conditions are poor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Sullivan
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingUnited States
- W. K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State UniversityHickory CornersUnited States
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20
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Yoon HJ, Lee G, Kim JT, Yoo JY, Luan H, Cheng S, Kang S, Huynh HLT, Kim H, Park J, Kim J, Kwak SS, Ryu H, Kim J, Choi YS, Ahn HY, Choi J, Oh S, Jung YH, Park M, Bai W, Huang Y, Chamorro LP, Park Y, Rogers JA. Biodegradable, three-dimensional colorimetric fliers for environmental monitoring. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eade3201. [PMID: 36563148 PMCID: PMC9788784 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade3201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Recently reported winged microelectronic systems offer passive flight mechanisms as a dispersal strategy for purposes in environmental monitoring, population surveillance, pathogen tracking, and other applications. Initial studies indicate potential for technologies of this type, but advances in structural and responsive materials and in aerodynamically optimized geometries are necessary to improve the functionality and expand the modes of operation. Here, we introduce environmentally degradable materials as the basis of 3D fliers that allow remote, colorimetric assessments of multiple environmental parameters-pH, heavy metal concentrations, and ultraviolet exposure, along with humidity levels and temperature. Experimental and theoretical investigations of the aerodynamics of these systems reveal design considerations that include not only the geometries of the structures but also their mass distributions across a range of bioinspired designs. Preliminary field studies that rely on drones for deployment and for remote colorimetric analysis by machine learning interpretation of digital images illustrate scenarios for practical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Joon Yoon
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Gachon University, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13120, Republic of Korea
| | - Geumbee Lee
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Jin-Tae Kim
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Jae-Young Yoo
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Haiwen Luan
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Shyuan Cheng
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Soohyeon Kang
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Huong Le Thien Huynh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Hyeonsu Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jaehong Park
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Joohee Kim
- Center for Bionics of Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Soo Kwak
- Center for Bionics of Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Hanjun Ryu
- Department of Advanced Materials Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 4726 Seodong-daero, Daedeok-myeon, Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do 17546, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihye Kim
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Yeon Sik Choi
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hak-Young Ahn
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Junhwan Choi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Dankook University, Yongin 16890, Republic of Korea
| | - Seyong Oh
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Yei Hwan Jung
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Minsu Park
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Wubin Bai
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - Yonggang Huang
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Leonardo P. Chamorro
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Yoonseok Park
- Department of Advanced Materials Engineering for Information and Electronics, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Republic of Korea
| | - John A. Rogers
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
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21
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Seale M, Zhdanov O, Soons MB, Cummins C, Kroll E, Blatt MR, Zare-Behtash H, Busse A, Mastropaolo E, Bullock JM, Viola IM, Nakayama N. Environmental morphing enables informed dispersal of the dandelion diaspore. eLife 2022; 11:81962. [PMID: 36445222 PMCID: PMC9797189 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal migration is highly sensitised to environmental cues, but plant dispersal is considered largely passive. The common dandelion, Taraxacum officinale, bears an intricate haired pappus facilitating flight. The pappus enables the formation of a separated vortex ring during flight; however, the pappus structure is not static but reversibly changes shape by closing in response to moisture. We hypothesised that this leads to changed dispersal properties in response to environmental conditions. Using wind tunnel experiments for flow visualisation, particle image velocimetry, and flight tests, we characterised the fluid mechanics effects of the pappus morphing. We also modelled dispersal to understand the impact of pappus morphing on diaspore distribution. Pappus morphing dramatically alters the fluid mechanics of diaspore flight. We found that when the pappus closes in moist conditions, the drag coefficient decreases and thus the falling velocity is greatly increased. Detachment of diaspores from the parent plant also substantially decreases. The change in detachment when the pappus closes increases dispersal distances by reducing diaspore release when wind speeds are low. We propose that moisture-dependent pappus-morphing is a form of informed dispersal allowing rapid responses to changing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Seale
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- School of Engineering, Institute for Integrated Micro and Nano Systems, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Oleksandr Zhdanov
- James Watt School of Engineering, University of GlasgowGlasgowUnited Kingdom
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, Bower Building, University of GlasgowGlasgowUnited Kingdom
| | - Merel B Soons
- Ecology & Biodiversity group, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Cathal Cummins
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- School of Engineering, Institute for Energy Systems, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Erika Kroll
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Michael R Blatt
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, Bower Building, University of GlasgowGlasgowUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Angela Busse
- James Watt School of Engineering, University of GlasgowGlasgowUnited Kingdom
| | - Enrico Mastropaolo
- School of Engineering, Institute for Integrated Micro and Nano Systems, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Ignazio M Viola
- School of Engineering, Institute for Energy Systems, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Naomi Nakayama
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions, University of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College LondonSouth KensingtonUnited Kingdom
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22
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Dandelion pappus morphing is actuated by radially patterned material swelling. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2498. [PMID: 35523798 PMCID: PMC9076835 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30245-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants generate motion by absorbing and releasing water. Many Asteraceae plants, such as the dandelion, have a hairy pappus that can close depending on moisture levels to modify dispersal. Here we demonstrate the relationship between structure and function of the underlying hygroscopic actuator. By investigating the structure and properties of the actuator cell walls, we identify the mechanism by which the dandelion pappus closes. We developed a structural computational model that can capture observed pappus closing and used it to explore the critical design features. We find that the actuator relies on the radial arrangement of vascular bundles and surrounding tissues around a central cavity. This allows heterogeneous swelling in a radially symmetric manner to co-ordinate movements of the hairs attached at the upper flank. This actuator is a derivative of bilayer structures, which is radial and can synchronise the movement of a planar or lateral attachment. The simple, material-based mechanism presents a promising biomimetic potential in robotics and functional materials. The dandelion pappus opens and closes reversibly to tune seed dispersal according to environmental moisture levels. Here the authors combined experiments with a computational model to show that pappus closure is coordinated by radially-patterned tissue swelling at the base of floral organs.
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23
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Wind dispersal of battery-free wireless devices. Nature 2022; 603:427-433. [PMID: 35296847 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04363-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Plants cover a large fraction of the Earth's land mass despite most species having limited to no mobility. To transport their propagules, many plants have evolved mechanisms to disperse their seeds using the wind1-4. A dandelion seed, for example, has a bristly filament structure that decreases its terminal velocity and helps orient the seed as it wafts to the ground5. Inspired by this, we demonstrate wind dispersal of battery-free wireless sensing devices. Our millimetre-scale devices weigh 30 milligrams and are designed on a flexible substrate using programmable, off-the-shelf parts to enable scalability and flexibility for various sensing and computing applications. The system is powered using lightweight solar cells and an energy harvesting circuit that is robust to low and variable light conditions, and has a backscatter communication link that enables data transmission. To achieve the wide-area dispersal and upright landing that is necessary for solar power harvesting, we developed dandelion-inspired, thin-film porous structures that achieve a terminal velocity of 0.87 ± 0.02 metres per second and aerodynamic stability with a probability of upright landing of over 95%. Our results in outdoor environments demonstrate that these devices can travel 50-100 metres in gentle to moderate breeze. Finally, in natural systems, variance in individual seed morphology causes some seeds to fall closer and others to travel farther. We adopt a similar approach and show how we can modulate the porosity and diameter of the structures to achieve dispersal variation across devices.
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24
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Gan SR, Guo JC, Zhang YX, Wang XF, Huang LJ. "Phoenix in Flight": an unique fruit morphology ensures wind dispersal of seeds of the phoenix tree (Firmiana simplex (L.) W. Wight). BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 22:113. [PMID: 35279080 PMCID: PMC8917737 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-022-03494-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many seed plants produce winged diaspores that use wind to disperse their seeds. The morphology of these diaspores is directly related to the seed dispersal potential. The majority of winged diaspores have flat wings and only seeds; however, some angiosperms, such as Firmiana produce winged fruit with a different morphology, whose seed dispersal mechanisms are not yet fully understood. In this study, we observed the fruit development of F. simplex and determined the morphological characteristics of mature fruit and their effects on the flight performance of the fruit. RESULTS We found that the pericarp of F. simplex dehisced early and continued to unfold and expand during fruit development until ripening, finally formed a spoon-shaped wing with multiple alternate seeds on each edge. The wing caused mature fruit to spin stably during descent to provide a low terminal velocity, which was correlated with the wing loading and the distribution of seeds on the pericarp. When the curvature distribution of the pericarp surface substantially changed, the aerodynamic characteristics of fruit during descent altered, resulting in the inability of the fruit to spin. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the curved shape and alternate seed distribution are necessary for the winged diaspore of F. simplex to stabilize spinning during wind dispersal. These unique morphological characteristics are related to the early cracking of fruits during development, which may be an adaptation for the wind dispersal of seeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Rui Gan
- College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Jun-Cheng Guo
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yun-Xiao Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Xiao-Fan Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China.
| | - Lan-Jie Huang
- College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China.
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25
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Viola IM, Nakayama N. Flying seeds. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R204-R205. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Jiang Y, Zhao P, Cai X, Rong J, Dong Z, Chen H, Wu P, Hu H, Jin X, Zhang D, Liu H. Bristled-wing design of materials, microstructures, and aerodynamics enables flapping flight in tiny wasps. iScience 2022; 25:103692. [PMID: 35036876 PMCID: PMC8753183 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitoid wasps of the smallest flying insects with bristled wings exhibit sophisticated flight behaviors while challenging biomechanical limitations in miniaturization and low-speed flow regimes. Here, we investigate the morphology, material composition, and mechanical properties of the bristles of the parasitoid wasps Anagrus Haliday. The bristles are extremely stiff and exhibit a high-aspect-ratio conical tubular structure with a large Young's modulus. This leads to a marginal deflection and uniform structural stress distribution in the bristles while they experience high-frequency flapping–induced aerodynamic loading, indicating that the bristles are robust to fatigue. The flapping aerodynamics of the bristled wings reveal that the wing surfaces act as porous flat paddles to reduce the overall inertial load while utilizing a passive shear-based aerodynamic drag-enhancing mechanism to generate the requisite aerodynamic forces. The bristled wing may have evolved as a novel design that achieves multiple functions and provides innovative ideas for developing bioinspired engineering microdevices. Bristles are extremely stiff and exhibit a high-aspect-ratio conical tubular structure Bristles uniformalize structural stress distributions and are robust to loading fatigue Bristled wings are light, using less power to achieve novel aerodynamic force production Bristled wings may bring an innovative design for bioinspired engineering microdevices
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonggang Jiang
- Insitute of Bionic and Micro-nano Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
- Corresponding author
| | - Peng Zhao
- Insitute of Bionic and Micro-nano Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Xuefei Cai
- Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - Jiaxin Rong
- Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - Zihao Dong
- Insitute of Bionic and Micro-nano Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Huawei Chen
- Insitute of Bionic and Micro-nano Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Peng Wu
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215021, China
- Corresponding author
| | - Hongying Hu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, China
| | - Xiangxiang Jin
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Deyuan Zhang
- Insitute of Bionic and Micro-nano Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
- Corresponding author
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Mazzolai B, Mariani S, Ronzan M, Cecchini L, Fiorello I, Cikalleshi K, Margheri L. Morphological Computation in Plant Seeds for a New Generation of Self-Burial and Flying Soft Robots. Front Robot AI 2021; 8:797556. [PMID: 34901173 PMCID: PMC8664382 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2021.797556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants have evolved different mechanisms to disperse from parent plants and improve germination to sustain their survival. The study of seed dispersal mechanisms, with the related structural and functional characteristics, is an active research topic for ecology, plant diversity, climate change, as well as for its relevance for material science and engineering. The natural mechanisms of seed dispersal show a rich source of robust, highly adaptive, mass and energy efficient mechanisms for optimized passive flying, landing, crawling and drilling. The secret of seeds mobility is embodied in the structural features and anatomical characteristics of their tissues, which are designed to be selectively responsive to changes in the environmental conditions, and which make seeds one of the most fascinating examples of morphological computation in Nature. Particularly clever for their spatial mobility performance, are those seeds that use their morphology and structural characteristics to be carried by the wind and dispersed over great distances (i.e. "winged" and "parachute" seeds), and seeds able to move and penetrate in soil with a self-burial mechanism driven by their hygromorphic properties and morphological features. By looking at their motion mechanisms, new design principles can be extracted and used as inspiration for smart artificial systems endowed with embodied intelligence. This mini-review systematically collects, for the first time together, the morphological, structural, biomechanical and aerodynamic information from selected plant seeds relevant to take inspiration for engineering design of soft robots, and discusses potential future developments in the field across material science, plant biology, robotics and embodied intelligence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Mazzolai
- Bioinspired Soft Robotics Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Stefano Mariani
- Bioinspired Soft Robotics Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Marilena Ronzan
- Bioinspired Soft Robotics Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Luca Cecchini
- Bioinspired Soft Robotics Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Isabella Fiorello
- Bioinspired Soft Robotics Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Kliton Cikalleshi
- Bioinspired Soft Robotics Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Laura Margheri
- Bioinspired Soft Robotics Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
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Galler JN, Rival DE. Characterization of milkweed-seed gust response. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2021; 16:066017. [PMID: 34723833 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ac2b01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Inspired by the reproductive success of plant species that employ bristled seeds for wind-borne dispersal, this study investigates the gust response of milkweed seeds, selected for their near-spherical shape. Gust-response experiments are performed to determine whether these porous bodies offer unique aerodynamic properties. Optical motion-tracking and particle image velocimetry (PIV) are used to characterize the dynamics of milkweed seed samples as they freely respond to a flow perturbation produced in an unsteady, gust wind tunnel. The observed seed acceleration ratio was found to agree with that of similar-sized soap bubbles as well as theoretical predictions, suggesting that aerodynamic performance does not degrade with porosity. Observations of high-velocity and high-vorticity fluid deflected around the body, obtained via time-resolved PIV measurements, suggest that there is minimal flow through the porous sphere. Therefore, despite the seed's porosity, the formation of a region of fluid shear, accompanied by vorticity roll-up around the body and in its wake, is not suppressed, as would normally be expected for porous bodies. Thus, the seeds achieve instantaneous drag exceeding that of a solid sphere (e.g. bubble) over the first eight convective times of the perturbation. Therefore, while the steady-state drag produced by porous bodies is typically lower than that of a solid counterpart, an enhanced drag response is generated during the initial flow acceleration period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua N Galler
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - David E Rival
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston K7L 3N6, Canada
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29
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England SJ, Robert D. The ecology of electricity and electroreception. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 97:383-413. [PMID: 34643022 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Electricity, the interaction between electrically charged objects, is widely known to be fundamental to the functioning of living systems. However, this appreciation has largely been restricted to the scale of atoms, molecules, and cells. By contrast, the role of electricity at the ecological scale has historically been largely neglected, characterised by punctuated islands of research infrequently connected to one another. Recently, however, an understanding of the ubiquity of electrical forces within the natural environment has begun to grow, along with a realisation of the multitude of ecological interactions that these forces may influence. Herein, we provide the first comprehensive collation and synthesis of research in this emerging field of electric ecology. This includes assessments of the role electricity plays in the natural ecology of predator-prey interactions, pollination, and animal dispersal, among many others, as well as the impact of anthropogenic activity on these systems. A detailed introduction to the ecology and physiology of electroreception - the biological detection of ecologically relevant electric fields - is also provided. Further to this, we suggest avenues for future research that show particular promise, most notably those investigating the recently discovered sense of aerial electroreception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam J England
- School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, U.K
| | - Daniel Robert
- School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, U.K
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30
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Tozzi A, Bormashenko E, Jausovec N. Topology of eeg wave fronts. Cogn Neurodyn 2021; 15:887-896. [PMID: 34603549 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-021-09668-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Whenever one attempts to comb a hairy ball flat, there will always be at least one tuft of hair at one point on the ball. This seemingly worthless sentence is an informal description of the hairy ball theorem, an invaluable mathematical weapon that has been proven useful to describe a variety of physical/biological processes/phenomena in terms of topology, rather than classical cause/effect relationships. In this paper we will focus on the electrical brain field-electroencephalogram (EEG). As a starting point we consider the recently-raised observation that, when electromagnetic oscillations propagate with a spherical wave front, there must be at least one point of the tangential components of the vector fields where the electromagnetic field vanishes. We show how this description holds also for the electric waves produced by the brain and detectable by EEG. Once located these zero-points in EEG traces, we confirm that they are able to modify the electric wave fronts detectable in the brain. This sheds new light on the functional features of a nonlinear, metastable nervous system at the edge of chaos, based on the neuroscientific model of Operational Architectonics of brain-mind functioning. As an example of practical application of this theorem, we provide testable previsions, suggesting the proper location of transcranial magnetic stimulation's coils to improve the clinical outcomes of drug-resistant epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arturo Tozzi
- Center for Nonlinear Science, Department of Physics, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle, #311427, Denton, TX 76203-5017 USA
| | - Edward Bormashenko
- Chemical Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, Ariel University, P.O.B. 3, 407000 Ariel, Israel
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Three-dimensional electronic microfliers inspired by wind-dispersed seeds. Nature 2021; 597:503-510. [PMID: 34552257 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03847-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Large, distributed collections of miniaturized, wireless electronic devices1,2 may form the basis of future systems for environmental monitoring3, population surveillance4, disease management5 and other applications that demand coverage over expansive spatial scales. Aerial schemes to distribute the components for such networks are required, and-inspired by wind-dispersed seeds6-we examined passive structures designed for controlled, unpowered flight across natural environments or city settings. Techniques in mechanically guided assembly of three-dimensional (3D) mesostructures7-9 provide access to miniature, 3D fliers optimized for such purposes, in processes that align with the most sophisticated production techniques for electronic, optoelectronic, microfluidic and microelectromechanical technologies. Here we demonstrate a range of 3D macro-, meso- and microscale fliers produced in this manner, including those that incorporate active electronic and colorimetric payloads. Analytical, computational and experimental studies of the aerodynamics of high-performance structures of this type establish a set of fundamental considerations in bio-inspired design, with a focus on 3D fliers that exhibit controlled rotational kinematics and low terminal velocities. An approach that represents these complex 3D structures as discrete numbers of blades captures the essential physics in simple, analytical scaling forms, validated by computational and experimental results. Battery-free, wireless devices and colorimetric sensors for environmental measurements provide simple examples of a wide spectrum of applications of these unusual concepts.
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Vijverberg K, Welten M, Kraaij M, van Heuven BJ, Smets E, Gravendeel B. Sepal Identity of the Pappus and Floral Organ Development in the Common Dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale; Asteraceae). PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10081682. [PMID: 34451727 PMCID: PMC8398263 DOI: 10.3390/plants10081682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The dry one-seeded fruits (cypselae) of the Asteraceae are often crowned with a pappus, an appendage of hairs or scales that assists in dispersal. It is generally assumed, but little investigated, that the pappus represents the outer floral whorl where the sepals are usually located. We analysed pappus–sepal homology in dandelions using micromorphological and floral gene expression analyses. We show that the pappus initiates from a ring primordium at the base of the corolla, heterochronic to the petals. Pappus parts form from this ring, with those in the alternipetalaous position usually being ahead in growth, referring to sepal identity. Tof-APETALLA1 expression increased during floret development and was highest in mature pappus. Tof-PISTILLATA expression was high and confined to the floral tissues containing the petals and stamens, consistent with expectations for sepals. Apart from the pappus, the dispersal structure of dandelion consists of the upper part of the fruit, the beak, which originates from the inner floral whorl. Thus, our results support the homology of the pappus with the sepals, but show that it is highly derived. Together with our floral stage definitions and verified qPCR reference genes, they provide a basis for evolution and development studies in dandelions and possibly other Asteraceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kitty Vijverberg
- Evolutionary Ecology, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands; (M.W.); (B.J.v.H.); (E.S.); (B.G.)
- Experimental Plant Ecology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research (IWWR), Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-(0)715271910
| | - Monique Welten
- Evolutionary Ecology, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands; (M.W.); (B.J.v.H.); (E.S.); (B.G.)
| | - Marjan Kraaij
- Evolutionary Genetics, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands;
| | - Bertie Joan van Heuven
- Evolutionary Ecology, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands; (M.W.); (B.J.v.H.); (E.S.); (B.G.)
| | - Erik Smets
- Evolutionary Ecology, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands; (M.W.); (B.J.v.H.); (E.S.); (B.G.)
| | - Barbara Gravendeel
- Evolutionary Ecology, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands; (M.W.); (B.J.v.H.); (E.S.); (B.G.)
- Experimental Plant Ecology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research (IWWR), Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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33
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Mazumder L, Kesseli R. Population structure, seasonal genotypic differentiation, and clonal diversity of weedy dandelions in three Boston area populations ( Taraxacum sp.). Ecol Evol 2021; 11:10926-10935. [PMID: 34429891 PMCID: PMC8366855 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Weedy dandelions have a worldwide distribution and thrive in urban environments despite a lack of sexual reproduction throughout most of its range. North American dandelions, introduced from Eurasia, are believed to be primarily, if not exclusively, apomictic triploids. In some European populations, apomicts co-occur with diploid sexual individuals and hybridizations can create genetically unique apomicts, which may subsequently disperse and establish new populations globally. Using six nuclear microsatellite markers and a cpDNA intergenic spacer, we investigate the impact of this unusual natural history on population structure and diversity in three urban Boston area dandelion populations. Our results show high levels of genetic diversity within populations, spatial population structure, and seasonal genotypic differentiation in flowering times. We find evidence that sexual reproduction and recombination, presumably in Europe, and extensive gene flow drive these patterns of diversity and create the appearance of panmixia despite the lack of evidence for local sexual reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Mazumder
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Massachusetts BostonBostonMAUSA
| | - Rick Kesseli
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Massachusetts BostonBostonMAUSA
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34
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Tian Y, Tang R, Wang X, Zhou J, Li X, Ma S, Gong B, Ou J. Bioinspired dandelion-like silica nanoparticles modified with L-glutathione for highly efficient enrichment of N-glycopeptides in biological samples. Anal Chim Acta 2021; 1173:338694. [PMID: 34172155 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2021.338694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The pretreatment of complicated biological samples to eliminate the interference of nonglycopeptides and improve the efficiency of glycopeptides detection is crucial in glycoproteomics research. Hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) has been adopted for enrichment of glycosylated peptides following identification with mass spectrometry, but it is still urgent to develop novel hydrophilic materials to save cost and improve enrichment efficiency. Scientists are pursuing to fabricate freestanding intelligent artificial materials. One promising approach is to use biomimic material. In our case, "one-pot" strategy was developed to prepare bioinspired nano-core-shell silica microspheres (CSSMs), employing tetrapropylorthosilicate as the silicon source and phenolic resin as the soft template. The pore structure of the obtained microspheres diverged from the center to the outside with diameter ranged from 150 to 340 nm, and shell layer ranged from 25 to 83 nm by adjusting the preparation parameters. Some of them showed dandelion-like morphology. After hydrophilic modification, these CSSMs exhibited great hydrophilicity and could be used as sorbents for enriching N-glycopeptides from complicated biological samples in HILIC. Up to 594 unique N-glycopeptides and 367 N-glycosylation sites from 182 N-glycoproteins were unambiguously identified from 2 μL of human serum, which was superior to the enrichment performance of many HILIC materials in reported papers, demonstrating great potential advantages in proteomic application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Tian
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan, 750021, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Ruizhi Tang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Xia Wang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan, 750021, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Jiahua Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaowei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shujuan Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China.
| | - Bolin Gong
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan, 750021, China.
| | - Junjie Ou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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Will JB, Krug D. Rising and Sinking in Resonance: Mass Distribution Critically Affects Buoyancy-Driven Spheres via Rotational Dynamics. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2021; 126:174502. [PMID: 33988413 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.126.174502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We present experimental results for spherical particles rising and settling in a still fluid. Imposing a well-controlled center of mass offset enables us to vary the rotational dynamics selectively by introducing an intrinsic rotational timescale to the problem. Results are highly sensitive even to small degrees of offset, rendering this a practically relevant parameter by itself. We further find that, for a certain ratio of the rotational to a vortex shedding timescale (capturing a Froude-type similarity), a resonance phenomenon sets in. Even though this is a rotational effect in origin, it also strongly affects translational oscillation frequency and amplitude, and most importantly, the drag coefficient. This observation equally applies to both heavy and light spheres, albeit with slightly different characteristics for which we offer an explanation. Our findings highlight the need to consider rotational parameters when trying to understand and classify path properties of rising and settling spheres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelle B Will
- Physics of Fluids Group and Max Planck Center Twente, J. M. Burgers Centre for Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, Netherlands
| | - Dominik Krug
- Physics of Fluids Group and Max Planck Center Twente, J. M. Burgers Centre for Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, Netherlands
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36
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Cho M. Aerodynamics and the role of the earth's electric field in the spiders' ballooning flight. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2021; 207:219-236. [PMID: 33712884 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-021-01474-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Some spiders aerially disperse relying on their fine fibres. This behaviour has been known as 'ballooning'. Observations on the ballooning behaviour of spiders have a long history and have more recently received special attention, yet its underlying physics is still poorly understood. It was traditionally believed that spiders rely on the airflows by atmospheric thermal convection to do ballooning. However, a recent experiment showed that exposure to an electric field alone can induce spiders' pre-ballooning behaviours (tiptoe and dropping/dangling) and even pulls them upwards in the air. The controversy between explanations of ballooning by aerodynamic flow or the earth's electric field has long existed. The major obstacle in studying the physics of ballooning is the fact that airflow and electric field are both invisible and our naked eyes can hardly recognise the ballooning silk fibres of spiders. This review explores the theory and evidence for the physical mechanisms of spiders' ballooning connects them to the behavioural physiology of spiders for ballooning. Knowledge gaps that need to be addressed in future studies are identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moonsung Cho
- Animal Physiology, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, 18059, Rostock, Germany. .,School of Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering, Korea Aerospace University, 76 Hanggongdaehang-ro, Goyang-si, 10540, Republic of Korea.
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37
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Zhang T, Elomaa P. Don't be fooled: false flowers in Asteraceae. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 59:101972. [PMID: 33383347 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2020.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The sunflower or daisy family, Asteraceae, comprises of approximately 10% of all angiosperm species. Their inflorescences form dense flower-like structures, pseudanthia or false flowers that may combine hundreds of individual flowers into a single structure. Recent data suggest that pseudanthia are analogs of single flowers not only morphologically but also at developmental and genetic level, and cannot merely be considered as condensed inflorescences. The large meristem size provides an advantage to study basic principles of patterning as well as inflorescence diversity in this evolutionary successful family. This knowledge has also practical importance in the commercially important crops of the family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng Zhang
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Paula Elomaa
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.
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38
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Air-encapsulating elastic mechanism of submerged Taraxacum blowballs. Mater Today Bio 2021; 9:100095. [PMID: 33718857 PMCID: PMC7933492 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2021.100095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In this article, we report the observation of an air-encapsulating elastic mechanism of Dandelion spherical seed heads, namely blowballs, when submerged underwater. This peculiarity seems to be fortuitous since Taraxacum is living outside water; nevertheless, it could become beneficial for a better survival under critical conditions, e.g. of temporary flooding. The scaling of the volume of the air entrapped suggests its fractal nature with a dimension of 2.782 and a fractal air volume fraction of 4.82 × 10−2 m0.218, resulting in nominal air volume fractions in the range of 14–23%. This aspect is essential for the optimal design of bioinspired materials made up of Dandelion-like components. The miniaturization of such components leads to an increase in the efficiency of the air encapsulation up to the threshold (efficiency = 1) achieved for an optimal critical size. Thus, the optimal design is accomplished using small elements, with the optimal size, rather than using larger elements in a lower number. The described phenomenon, interesting per se, also brings bioinspired insights toward new related technological solutions for underwater air-trapping and air-bubbles transportation, e.g. the body surface of a man could allow an apnea (air consumption of 5–10 l/min) of about 10 min if it is covered by a material made up of a periodic repetition of Dandelion components of diameter ≅18 μm and having a total thickness of about 3–6 cm.
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39
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Wilson OC. Biobased Materials for Medical Applications. Biomed Mater 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-49206-9_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Autran D, Bassel GW, Chae E, Ezer D, Ferjani A, Fleck C, Hamant O, Hartmann FP, Jiao Y, Johnston IG, Kwiatkowska D, Lim BL, Mahönen AP, Morris RJ, Mulder BM, Nakayama N, Sozzani R, Strader LC, ten Tusscher K, Ueda M, Wolf S. What is quantitative plant biology? QUANTITATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 2:e10. [PMID: 37077212 PMCID: PMC10095877 DOI: 10.1017/qpb.2021.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Quantitative plant biology is an interdisciplinary field that builds on a long history of biomathematics and biophysics. Today, thanks to high spatiotemporal resolution tools and computational modelling, it sets a new standard in plant science. Acquired data, whether molecular, geometric or mechanical, are quantified, statistically assessed and integrated at multiple scales and across fields. They feed testable predictions that, in turn, guide further experimental tests. Quantitative features such as variability, noise, robustness, delays or feedback loops are included to account for the inner dynamics of plants and their interactions with the environment. Here, we present the main features of this ongoing revolution, through new questions around signalling networks, tissue topology, shape plasticity, biomechanics, bioenergetics, ecology and engineering. In the end, quantitative plant biology allows us to question and better understand our interactions with plants. In turn, this field opens the door to transdisciplinary projects with the society, notably through citizen science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphné Autran
- DIADE, University of Montpellier, IRD, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
| | - George W. Bassel
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Eunyoung Chae
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Daphne Ezer
- The Alan Turing Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Statistics, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Ali Ferjani
- Department of Biology, Tokyo Gakugei University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Christian Fleck
- Freiburg Center for Data Analysis and Modeling (FDM), University of Freiburg, Breisgau, Germany
| | - Olivier Hamant
- Laboratoire de Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, École normale supérieure (ENS) de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon (UCBL), Lyon, France
- Institut national de recherche pour l’agriculture, l’alimentation et l’environnement (INRAE), CNRS, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
- Author for correspondence: O. Hamant and A. P. Mahönen, E-mail: ,
| | | | - Yuling Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and National Center for Plant Gene Research (Beijing), Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Dorota Kwiatkowska
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environment Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
| | - Boon L. Lim
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ari Pekka Mahönen
- Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Richard J. Morris
- Computational and Systems Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Bela M. Mulder
- Department of Living Matter, Institute AMOLF, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Naomi Nakayama
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ross Sozzani
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North CarolinaUSA
| | - Lucia C. Strader
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MissouriUSA
| | - Kirsten ten Tusscher
- Theoretical Biology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Minako Ueda
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Sebastian Wolf
- Centre for Organismal Studies (COS) Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Certini D, Fazan L, Nakayama N, Viola IM, Kozlowski G. Velocity of the falling dispersal units in Zelkova abelicea: remarkable evolutionary conservation within the relict tree genus. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2020; 107:1831-1838. [PMID: 33341929 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Seed dispersal is extremely important for the recovery and restoration of forest communities. Relict tree genus Zelkova possesses a unique dispersal mechanism: mature fruits fall with the entire twig, and the dried leaves that are still attached function as a drag-enhancing appendage, carrying the fruits away from the parent tree. This singular adaptation has never been investigated in Z. abelicea. METHODS Drop tests with dispersal units and individual fruits of Z. abelicea were performed in controlled conditions to measure their dispersal velocity and to define their flight mode. RESULTS Zelkova abelicea uses both slowly falling dispersal units with chaotic motion, as well as fast falling individual fruits using a straight path. The falling velocity of Z. abelicea dispersal units is 1.53 m s-1 , which is virtually identical to that of the East Asiatic Z. serrata (1.51 m s-1 ). In contrast, the falling velocity of individual fruits was 2.74 m s-1 (Z. serrata: 5.36 m s-1 ). CONCLUSIONS Members of the genus Zelkova, growing today in distant regions, show remarkable evolutionary conservation of the velocity and flight mechanics of their dispersal units. This is surprising because the Mediterranean and East Asiatic Zelkova species have been separated at least 15-20 mya. Zelkova abelicea, although growing in the Mediterranean with completely different forest structure and composition, still uses the same dispersal mechanism. The dispersal capacity of the genus Zelkova is less efficient than that of other wind dispersed trees, and it presumably evolved for short-distance ecological spread and not for long-distance biogeographical dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Certini
- School of Engineering, Institute of Energy Systems, University of Edinburgh, Sanderson Building, Robert Stevenson Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FB, United Kingdom
| | - Laurence Fazan
- Department of Biology and Botanic Garden, Ecology and Evolution, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 10, Fribourg, CH-1700, Switzerland
| | - Naomi Nakayama
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, Bessemer Building, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Ignazio Maria Viola
- School of Engineering, Institute of Energy Systems, University of Edinburgh, Sanderson Building, Robert Stevenson Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FB, United Kingdom
| | - Gregor Kozlowski
- Department of Biology and Botanic Garden, Ecology and Evolution, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 10, Fribourg, CH-1700, Switzerland
- Natural History Museum Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 6, Fribourg, CH-1700, Switzerland
- Shanghai Chenshan Plant Science Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, 3888 Chenhua Road, Songjiang, Shanghai, 201602, China
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Li W, Kui L, Demetrios T, Gong X, Tang M. A Glimmer of Hope: Maintain Mitochondrial Homeostasis to Mitigate Alzheimer's Disease. Aging Dis 2020; 11:1260-1275. [PMID: 33014536 PMCID: PMC7505280 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2020.0105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are classically known to be cellular energy producers. Given the high-energy demanding nature of neurons in the brain, it is essential that the mitochondrial pool remains healthy and provides a continuous and efficient supply of energy. However, mitochondrial dysfunction is inevitable in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), neurons experience unbalanced homeostasis like damaged mitochondrial biogenesis and defective mitophagy, with the latter promoting the disease-defining amyloid β (Aβ) and p-Tau pathologies impaired mitophagy contributes to inflammation and the aggregation of Aβ and p-Tau-containing neurotoxic proteins. Interventions that restore defective mitophagy may, therefore, alleviate AD symptoms, pointing out the possibility of a novel therapy. This review aims to illustrate mitochondrial biology with a focus on mitophagy and propose strategies to treat AD while maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbo Li
- 1State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, China
| | - Ling Kui
- 2Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, United States
| | | | - Xun Gong
- 4Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, China
| | - Min Tang
- 5Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, China.,6Center for Innovation in Brain Science, University of Arizona, United States
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Gao S, Pan S, Wang H, Tian X. Shape Deformation and Drag Variation of a Coupled Rigid-Flexible System in a Flowing Soap Film. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2020; 125:034502. [PMID: 32745406 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.125.034502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We experimentally study the soap film flow past a rigid plate with a trailing closed filament of a small bending modulus acting as a flexible afterbody. The complex fluid-structure interactions due to the deformable afterbody shape and corresponding dynamics are studied. We find that the shape of the afterbody is determined by filament length, filament bending modulus, and flow speed. A significant drag reduction of approximately 10.0% is achieved under specific conditions. We analyze the drag mechanism by characterizing the deformable afterbody shape. Our experiment and modeling suggest that such a flow control strategy and sizable drag reduction are expected to occur over a specific flow speed regime when a suitable flexible coating is added.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University Yazhou Bay Institute of Deepsea Technology, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Song Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Huaicheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xinliang Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University Yazhou Bay Institute of Deepsea Technology, Sanya 572000, China
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Cho M, Koref IS. The Importance of a Filament-like Structure in Aerial Dispersal and the Rarefaction Effect of Air Molecules on a Nanoscale Fiber: Detailed Physics in Spiders' Ballooning. Integr Comp Biol 2020; 60:864-875. [PMID: 32516363 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icaa063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many flying insects utilize a membranous structure for flight, which is known as a "wing." However, some spiders use silk fibers for their aerial dispersal. It is well known that spiders can disperse over hundreds of kilometers and rise several kilometers above the ground in this way. However, little is known about the ballooning mechanisms of spiders, owing to the lack of quantitative data. Recently, Cho et al. discovered previously unknown information on the types and physical properties of spiders' ballooning silks. According to the data, a crab spider weighing 20 mg spins 50-60 ballooning silks simultaneously, which are about 200 nm thick and 3.22 m long for their flight. Based on these physical dimensions of ballooning silks, the significance of these filament-like structures is explained by a theoretical analysis reviewing the fluid-dynamics of an anisotropic particle (like a filament or a high-slender body). (1) The filament-like structure is materially efficient geometry to produce (or harvest, in the case of passive flight) fluid-dynamic force in a low Reynolds number flow regime. (2) Multiple nanoscale fibers are the result of the physical characteristics of a thin fiber, the drag of which is proportional to its length but not to its diameter. Because of this nonlinear characteristic of a fiber, spinning multiple thin ballooning fibers is, for spiders, a better way to produce drag forces than spinning a single thick spider silk, because spiders can maximize their drag on the ballooning fibers using the same amount of silk dope. (3) The mean thickness of fibers, 200 nm, is constrained by the mechanical strength of the ballooning fibers and the rarefaction effect of air molecules on a nanoscale fiber, because the slip condition on a fiber could predominate if the thickness of the fiber becomes thinner than 100 nm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moonsung Cho
- Technical University of Berlin, Institute of Biotechnology, Ackerstraße 76/ACK 24, Berlin, 13355, Germany.,University of Rostock, Animal Physiology, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, Rostock, 18059, Germany
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Jaffar-Bandjee M, Steinmann T, Krijnen G, Casas J. Leakiness and flow capture ratio of insect pectinate antennae. J R Soc Interface 2020; 17:20190779. [PMID: 32486954 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2019.0779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The assumption that insect pectinate antennae, which are multi-scale organs spanning over four orders of magnitude in size among their different elements, are efficient at capturing sexual pheromones is commonly made but rarely thoroughly tested. Leakiness, i.e. the proportion of air that flows within the antenna and not around it, is a key parameter which depends on both the macro- and the microstructure of the antenna as well as on the flow velocity. The effectiveness of a structure to capture flow and hence molecules is a trade-off between promoting large leakiness in order to have a large portion of the flow going through it and a large effective surface area to capture as much from the flow as possible, therefore leading to reduced leakiness. The aim of this work is to measure leakiness in 3D-printed structures representing the higher order structure of an antenna, i.e. the flagellum and the rami, with varying densities of rami and under different flow conditions. The male antennae of the moth Samia cynthia (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) were used as templates. Particle image velocimetry in water and oil using 3D-printed scaled-up surrogates enabled us to measure leakiness over a wide range of equivalent air velocities, from 0.01 m s-1 to 5 m s-1, corresponding to those experienced by the moth. We observed the presence of a separated vortex ring behind our surrogate structures at some velocities. Variations in the densities of rami enabled us to explore the role of the effective surface area, which we assume to permit equivalent changes in the number of sensilla that host the chemical sensors. Leakiness increased with flow velocity in a sigmoidal fashion and decreased with rami density. The flow capture ratio, i.e. the leakiness multiplied by the effective surface area divided by the total surface area, embodies the above trade-off. For each velocity, a specific structure leads to a maximum flow capture ratio. There is thus not a single pectinate architecture which is optimal at all flow velocities. By contrast, the natural design seems to be robustly functioning for the velocity range likely to be encountered in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mourad Jaffar-Bandjee
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS, Université de Tours, Tours, France.,Robotics and Mechatronics, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Steinmann
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS, Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Gijs Krijnen
- Robotics and Mechatronics, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Jérôme Casas
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS, Université de Tours, Tours, France
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Pérez-Antón M, Hay A. Schooling PhD students in plant development. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 226:1544-1547. [PMID: 32419186 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Pérez-Antón
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, Cologne, 50829, Germany
| | - Angela Hay
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, Cologne, 50829, Germany
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47
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Chen S, Giladi I. Variation in morphological traits affects dispersal and seedling emergence in dispersive diaspores of Geropogon hybridus. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2020; 107:436-444. [PMID: 32072626 PMCID: PMC7154696 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Intraspecific variation in diaspore characteristics could affect various aspects of plant performance at the population, individual plant, and seed levels. We quantified variation in dispersal traits in a wind-dispersed annual, Geropogon hybridus (Asteraceae), focusing on continuous morphological traits of dispersive diaspores and their relationships to dispersal ability and seedling emergence. METHODS We measured the morphological traits, terminal velocity, and seedling emergence of 1140 seeds from 10 populations in two successive years. We assessed the variation in traits among three hierarchical levels of organization and between years, and quantified their effects on diaspore terminal velocity and seedling emergence. RESULTS Diaspore morphological traits varied substantially at the population, plant, and diaspore levels. Variables of pappus geometry, especially pappus width and pappus opening angle, were consistent between years and were found to be the best predictors of diaspore terminal velocity and seedling emergence. There was a significant negative relationship between diaspore terminal velocity and seedling emergence. CONCLUSIONS The intraspecific variation in diaspore traits is sufficiently large to substantially allow a dispersal-dormancy trade-off of individual diaspores. Our results support the hypothesis that traits of dispersive diaspores evolve in concert to select for increased dispersal potential, and provide an avenue to predict plant offspring performance through simply measured traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si‐Chong Chen
- Mitrani Department of Desert EcologySwiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy ResearchJacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert ResearchBen‐Gurion University of the NegevMidreshet Ben‐Gurion8499000Israel
- Royal Botanic Gardens, KewWakehurst PlaceWest SussexRH17 6TNUK
| | - Itamar Giladi
- Mitrani Department of Desert EcologySwiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy ResearchJacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert ResearchBen‐Gurion University of the NegevMidreshet Ben‐Gurion8499000Israel
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48
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Bont Z, Pfander M, Robert CAM, Huber M, Poelman EH, Raaijmakers CE, Erb M. Adapted dandelions trade dispersal for germination upon root herbivore attack. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192930. [PMID: 32097589 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A plant's offspring may escape unfavourable local conditions through seed dispersal. Whether plants use this strategy to escape insect herbivores is not well understood. Here, we explore how different dandelion (Taraxacum officinale agg.) populations, including diploid outcrossers and triploid apomicts, modify seed dispersal in response to root herbivore attack by their main root-feeding natural enemy, the larvae of the common cockchafer Melolontha melolontha. In a manipulative field experiment, root herbivore attack increased seed dispersal potential through a reduction in seed weight in populations that evolved under high root herbivore pressure, but not in populations that evolved under low pressure. This increase in dispersal potential was independent of plant cytotype, but associated with a reduction in germination rate, suggesting that adapted dandelions trade dispersal for establishment upon attack by root herbivores. Analysis of vegetative growth parameters suggested that the increased dispersal capacity was not the result of stress flowering. In summary, these results suggest that root herbivory selects for an induced increase in dispersal ability in response to herbivore attack. Induced seed dispersal may be a strategy that allows adapted plants to escape from herbivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Bont
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marc Pfander
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Meret Huber
- Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Erik H Poelman
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ciska E Raaijmakers
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Matthias Erb
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Fauli RA, Rabault J, Carlson A. Effect of wing fold angles on the terminal descent velocity of double-winged autorotating seeds, fruits, and other diaspores. Phys Rev E 2020; 100:013108. [PMID: 31499848 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.100.013108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Wind dispersal of seeds is an essential mechanism for plants to proliferate and to invade new territories. In this paper we present a methodology used in our recent work [Rabault, Fauli, and Carlson, Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 024501 (2019PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.122.024501)] that combines 3D printing, a minimal theoretical model, and experiments to determine how the curvature along the length of the wings of autorotating seeds, fruits, and other diaspores provides them with an optimal wind dispersion potential, i.e., minimal terminal descent velocity. Experiments are performed on 3D-printed double-winged synthetic fruits for a wide range of wing fold angles (obtained from normalized curvature along the wing length), base wing angles, and wing loadings to determine how these affect the flight. Our experimental and theoretical models find an optimal wing fold angle that minimizes the descent velocity, where the curved wings must be sufficiently long to have horizontal segments, but also sufficiently short to ensure that their tip segments are primarily aligned along the horizontal direction. The curved shape of the wings of double winged autorotating diaspores may be an important parameter that improves the fitness of these plants in an ecological strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A Fauli
- Department of Mathematics, Mechanics Division, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Jean Rabault
- Department of Mathematics, Mechanics Division, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Andreas Carlson
- Department of Mathematics, Mechanics Division, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
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50
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Seale M, Nakayama N. From passive to informed: mechanical mechanisms of seed dispersal. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 225:653-658. [PMID: 31403702 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Plant dispersal mechanisms rely on anatomical and morphological adaptations for the use of physical or biological dispersal vectors. Recently, studies of interactions between the dispersal unit and physical environment have uncovered fluid dynamic mechanisms of seed flight, protective measures against fire, and release mechanisms of explosive dispersers. Although environmental conditions generally dictate dispersal distances, plants are not purely passive players in these processes. Evidence suggests that some plants may enact informed dispersal, where dispersal-related traits are modified according to the environment. This can occur via developmental regulation, but also on shorter timescales via structural remodelling in relation to water availability and temperature. Linking interactions between dispersal mechanisms and environmental conditions will be essential to fully understand population dynamics and distributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Seale
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
- School of Engineering, Institute for Integrated Micro and Nano Systems, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, UK
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
- School of Energy, Geosciences, Infrastructure and Environment, Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK
| | - Naomi Nakayama
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
- Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
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