Ecology and Biomechanics: A Mechanical Approach to the Ecology of Animals and Plants offers a collection of state-of-the-art papers, that ingeniously demonstrates how biomechanics can provide novel insights into long standing ecological and evolutionary questions. Combining approaches from various disciplines, the manuscript covers subjects that encompass theoretical concepts and practical approaches involving research on both plants and animals, as well as interactions between the two. Although most of the examples emphasize distinct organism-environment relationships, the book also includes a few examples that span larger temporal and spatial scales, achieving wider application across entire ecosystems.
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Anthony Herrel, Thomas Speck, Nicholas P. Rowe

Tree Biomechanics and Growth Strategies in the Context of Forest Functional Ecology. Diversity of Mechanical Architectures in Climbing Plants: An Ecological Perspective. The Role of Blade Buoyancy and Reconfiguration in the Mechanical Adaptation of the Southern Bullkelp Durvillaea. Murray's Law and the Vascular Architecture of Plants. Plant-Animal Mechanics and Bite Procurement in Grazing Ruminants. Biomechanics of Salvia Flowers: The Role of Lever and Flower Tube in Specialization on Pollinators. Do Plant Waxes Make Insect Attachment Structures Dirty: Experimental Evidences for the Contamination-Hypothesis. Ecology and Biomechanics of Slippery Wax Barriers and Waxrunning to Macarange-ant Mutualisms. Nectar Feeding in Long-Proboscid Insects. Biomechanics and Behavioral Mimicry in Insects. Inter-individual Variation in the Muscle Physiology of Vertebrate Ectotherms: Consequences for Behavioral and Ecological Performance. Power Generation during Locomotion in Anolis Lizards: An Ecomorphological Approach. Implications of Microbial Motility on the Water Column Ecosystems. The Biomechanics of Ecological Speciation.