Friday, May 22, 2009
what is optimum shape for trees?
what is optimum shape for trees?
I think that I worked out that this is a rather difficult question to pose sensibly.
certainly timber is the result of competition. height is obviously a weapon of mass destruction.
you clearly want it to be all surface and no volume, and the standard maths tricks of cutting out shapes,
means that solid objects such as spheres and cones are not in the running.
also the latitude would appear to make a difference, which is rather strange, until you realise that actually
it just makes a difference as to how you perceive the shape of the tree.
I think that the solution, for non-competing trees is basically a flat surface, facing south at the poles, and
horizontal at the equator. for competing trees, the answer is more difficult at the poles since height really
does not work so well. I think you have to grow horizontally south ( say) and then up. or a random mixture of the two.
anyway I am happy how evolution worked it out for trees. I wonder what we should be doing for solar-panels,
which is the same problem??
cheers
martinw
