The cracking of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) cones

Horstmann, Martin; Buchheit, Hannah; Speck, Thomas; Poppinga, Simon

doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.982756

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 52 publications

(98 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This was attributed to fluctuating temperatures as some days were not so sunny. Many factors have been attributed to poor cone opening such as high moisture levels, due to early harvesting, fungal and insect damage as well as case hardening of cones during storage [33,37,39,46,55]. In this study, most of the cones that did not open were the narrow ones subjected to natural sun-drying conditions for 21 days.…”

Section: Fig 1 Relationship Between Tree Dbh and Cone Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 76%

Influence of Cone Physical Characteristics and Extraction Exposure Period on Seed Yield of Pinus patula

Onyango

Kinyua

Maara

et al. 2022

AJRAF

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study examines the correlation between extraction exposure periods and cone physical characteristics on Pinus patula seed yield. Systematic random sampling was employed for tree identification in an even-aged clonal seed orchard, and the laboratory phase was laid down as a factorial experiment with two factors: cone physical characteristics and extraction exposure period at three levels. Seed counts were taken for cones categorized as; heavy, light, narrow, and wide at three extraction exposure periods 6 hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours in a constant oven temperature of 65°C. The experiment had 12 (L1,H1,N1,W1,L2,H2,N2,W2,L3,H3,N3,W3)treatments with 60 cones per treatment. The time spent counting and returning cones during the inter-stage observation ranged from 10 to 15 minutes. Data collected were tabulated and means analyzed using ANOVA with results generated as per the objectives. The number of seeds released within the hours of exposure was captured as the seed extraction rate. The first six hours yielded the optimum number of seeds per cone with the mean highest number of seeds from wide cones. The lowest mean number of seeds released observed was 28, from light cones, while the highest mean number of seeds was observed to be 56 from wide cones. Cone sorting based on size before extraction is recommended for optimized seed yield. The stages of seed extraction employed here can be used in mechanized seed extraction cabinets equipped with timers at controlled temperatures.

show abstract

Section: Fig 1 Relationship Between Tree Dbh and Cone Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 76%

Influence of Cone Physical Characteristics and Extraction Exposure Period on Seed Yield of Pinus patula

Onyango

Kinyua

Maara

et al. 2022

AJRAF

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In pines, resin holds the scales of the cones closed until the right conditions occur for seed release. When a particular combination of temperature and humidity is reached, the physical properties of resin change such that the resin releases its holding force on the scales, at which point the scales pop open to allow later release of the pine seeds (Horstmann et al, 2022). These discoveries encourage further investigations into the tuning of latch dynamics, especially in systems requiring deployment during specific environmental conditions (Kim et al, 2021).…”

Section: Transformation From Elastic Potential Energy To Kinetic Energymentioning

confidence: 98%

Latch-mediated spring actuation (LaMSA): the power of integrated biomechanical systems

Patek

2023

Journal of Experimental Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Across the tree of life – from fungi to frogs – organisms wield small amounts of energy to generate fast and potent movements. These movements are propelled with elastic structures, and their loading and release are mediated by latch-like opposing forces. They comprise a class of elastic mechanisms termed latch-mediated spring actuation (LaMSA). Energy flow through LaMSA begins when an energy source loads elastic element(s) in the form of elastic potential energy. Opposing forces, often termed latches, prevent movement during loading of elastic potential energy. As the opposing forces are shifted, reduced or removed, elastic potential energy is transformed into kinetic energy of the spring and propelled mass. Removal of the opposing forces can occur instantaneously or throughout the movement, resulting in dramatically different outcomes for consistency and control of the movement. Structures used for storing elastic potential energy are often distinct from mechanisms that propel the mass: elastic potential energy is often distributed across surfaces and then transformed into localized mechanisms for propulsion. Organisms have evolved cascading springs and opposing forces not only to serially reduce the duration of energy release, but often to localize the most energy-dense events outside of the body to sustain use without self-destruction. Principles of energy flow and control in LaMSA biomechanical systems are emerging at a rapid pace. New discoveries are catalyzing remarkable growth of the historic field of elastic mechanisms through experimental biomechanics, synthesis of novel materials and structures, and high-performance robotics systems.

show abstract

“…The initial opening of a cone seems to be determined by the resin at the edges of the apophysis, which changes its properties under dry and warm conditions and allows hygroscopic bending and opening of the cone scales [20]. Following the initial opening, pine cones regularly open and shut, depending on variations in the ambient humidity conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigation of the resilience of cyclically actuated pine cone scales of Pinus jeffreyi

Ulrich,

Genter,

Schäfer

et al. 2024

Bioinspir. Biomim.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The resilience of pine cone scales has been investigated in the context of current architectural efforts to develop bioinspired passive façade shading systems that can help regulate the indoor climate. As previously shown for other species, separated tissues of Pinus jeffreyi pine cone scales show independent hygroscopic bending. The blocking force that pine cone scales can generate during a closing movement is shown to be affected by the length, width and mass of the scales. After cyclically actuating pine cone scales by submerging and drying them for 102 cycles and comparing their functional characteristics measured in the undamaged and damaged state, they were still able to achieve 97 % of their undamaged blocking force and torque and over 94 % of their undamaged opening angle. Despite evidence of cracking within the sclereid cell layer and extensive delamination of sclerenchyma fibres, no loss of function was observed in any tested pine cone scale. This functional resilience and robustness may allow P. jeffreyi trees to continue seed dispersal for longer periods of time and to reliably protect seeds that have not yet been released. These results have contributed to a better understanding of the pine cone scale and may provide inspiration for further improving the long-term performance of passive, hygro-sensitive façade shading systems.

show abstract

The cracking of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) cones

Cited by 4 publications

References 52 publications

Influence of Cone Physical Characteristics and Extraction Exposure Period on Seed Yield of Pinus patula

Influence of Cone Physical Characteristics and Extraction Exposure Period on Seed Yield of Pinus patula

Latch-mediated spring actuation (LaMSA): the power of integrated biomechanical systems

Investigation of the resilience of cyclically actuated pine cone scales of Pinus jeffreyi

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About