Artículos de revistas
Morphology and mechanical properties of junctions: Implications on the success of clonal spread of cacti
Fecha
2016-04Registro en:
Almiron, Martin Guillermo; Martinez Carretero, Eduardo Enrique; Navas, María Daniela; Pantano, Victoria; Morphology and mechanical properties of junctions: Implications on the success of clonal spread of cacti; Academic Press Ltd - Elsevier Science Ltd; Journal of Arid Environments; 128; 4-2016; 8-11
0140-1963
CONICET Digital
CONICET
Autor
Almiron, Martin Guillermo
Martinez Carretero, Eduardo Enrique
Navas, María Daniela
Pantano, Victoria
Resumen
Opuntioid cacti reproduce asexually through separation and subsequent rooting of stems (cladodes in platyopuntias; joints in cylindropuntias). Consequently, the force that keeps them together must be overcome. This work assesses the morphometry and disjunction force of joints in Tephrocactus aoracanthus. Morphologically, during their maturation, joints change in shape from oval to spherical, resulting in the youngest being significantly shorter and lighter than the oldest ones. Both critical bending moment and section modulus of junctions resulted in weaker connections on younger joints with respect to older ones, determining that young joints can be separated with less force applied. According to that, their deflection angle is smaller compared to older joints. In relation to other species, the junction of T. aoracanthus is more fragile in both the youngest and oldest joints. This mechanism could favor the spread of T. aoracanthus and its colonization of sites unfavorable for the establishment of its seedlings.