Trees suck. Notes on the physics of transpiration in trees.

Harvey R Brown, Adrian P Sutton

Journal: Progress in biophysics and molecular biology 2025;195():71-86

PMID: 39725358

Free Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

The Cohesion Theory of the ascent of water in trees is a quiet triumph of modern science. Besides hydrodynamics, the physics of transpiration involves capillarity, evaporation and osmosis - phenomena which all have a history of considerable theoretical confusion. The aim of this paper is to supplement existing accounts of this physics in the plant science literature.

Address: Faculty of Philosophy, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter 555 Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK; Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK. Electronic address: [email protected].; Faculty of Philosophy, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter 555 Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK; Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2024.12.002

Link outs

Free resources

Full Text Sources:

https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0079...

MeSH Terms: Plant Transpiration, Trees, Water