Sunlight allocation in an L-system tree model

Abstract

Biological branching processes involve the interplay of parameters intrinsic to the branching structure and the biophysical mechanisms governing its dynamics. Despite its complexity, a formalism that exploits the algorithmic nature of its growth process has been proposed to provide an approximate description of the physical reality. In this paper, sunlight allocation is incorporated in the L-systems model to generate 2D trees and explore how growth constraints shape foliage of trees. Using ideal and realistic parameters of branching angle a and branching ratio b, morphological characterization of resulting trees provided deeper appreciation of the role of resource allocation in foliage growth and optimization. Not only does sunlight play an important role in energy production and sustenance of trees, it also governs a principal mechanism in foliage formation and optimization.