Embolism propagation in Adiantum leaves and a biomimetic system (Q6696540)

Drought poses a significant threat to forest survival worldwide by potentially generating air bubbles that obstruct sap transport within plants hydraulic systems. However, the detailed mechanism of air entry and propagation at the scale of the veins remains elusive. Building up on a biomimetic model of leaf which we developed, we propose a direct comparison of the air embolism propagation in Adiantum (maidenhair fern) leaves, presented in Brodribb et al. (PNAS 2016, Ref. [1]) and in our biomimetic leaves. In particular, we evidence that the jerky dynamics of the embolism propagation observed in Adiantum leaves can be recovered via the introduction of micrometric constrictions in the section of our biomimetic veins, mimicking the nanopores present in the bordered pit membranes in real leaves. We show that the intermittency in the propagation can be retrieved by a simple model coupling the variations of pressure induced by the constrictions and the variations of the volume of the compliant microchannels. Our study marks a step with the design of abiomimetic leaf that reproduces particular aspects of embolism propagation in real leaves, utilizing a minimal set of controllable and readily tunable components. This biomimetic leaf constitutes a promising physical analog and sets the stage for future enhancements to fully embody the unique physical features of embolizing real leaves.