Modelling the growth of plants with a uniform growth logistics

• Published in: Journal of theoretical biology Vol. 349; pp. 57 - 65
• Main Authors: Kilian, H.G., Bartkowiak, D., Kazda, M., Kaufmann, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 21.05.2014
• Subjects: Arabidopsis - growth & development; Differentiation; Fagus - growth & development; Forests; Hypocotyl - growth & development; Increment model; Law of mass action; Models, Biological; Optimization; Picea - growth & development; Plant Development; Plant Roots - growth & development; Prunus - growth & development; Superstructure; Tropical Climate; Differentiation; Law of mass action; Superstructure; Optimization; Increment model
• ISSN: 0022-5193; 1095-8541
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2014.01.019

The increment model has previously been used to describe the growth of plants in general. Here, we examine how the same logistics enables the development of different superstructures. Data from the literature are analyzed with the increment model. Increments are growth-invariant molecular clusters, treated as heuristic particles. This approach formulates the law of mass action for multi-component systems, describing the general properties of superstructures which are optimized via relaxation processes. The daily growth patterns of hypocotyls can be reproduced implying predetermined growth invariant model parameters. In various species, the coordinated formation and death of fine roots are modeled successfully. Their biphasic annual growth follows distinct morphological programs but both use the same logistics. In tropical forests, distributions of the diameter in breast height of trees of different species adhere to the same pattern. Beyond structural fluctuations, competition and cooperation within and between the species may drive optimization. All superstructures of plants examined so far could be reproduced with our approach. With genetically encoded growth-invariant model parameters (interaction with the environment included) perfect morphological development runs embedded in the uniform logistics of the increment model. •Biological systems are superstructures describable as multi-component networks.•Molecular clusters as their increments are here treated as heuristic particles.•Plant growth always uses the same logistics, based on stationary chemical reactions.•The uniform growth logistics leads to uniform size-distributions of superstructures.•From cells to plant societies, all systems display analogous topological features.