Introduction

Abstract

There is nothing more uncompromising than competition in pure and unadulterated nature. Nowhere is the imperfect, non-optimized design hunted, attacked or threatened as pitilessly as in the difficult struggle for energy and living space to which animals and plants are exposed. No one could seriously doubt the hypothesis that competition leads to the selection of the most functional and adapted mechanical designs, i.e. the survival of shape-optimized biological load carriers which are as light as possible and as strong as necessary. Corroborating this hypothesis with regard to trees, it seems proper to start by giving a brief sketch of their biological features and functions.