The Life of a Leaf
Any schoolchild who has ever plucked an interesting leaf and pressed it into a book for safekeeping will know there is something magical about these oddly shaped tree appendages. In this eclectic blend of science textbook and layman’s field guide, Duke University biology professor Vogel takes the leaf as a model for probing nature’s often overlooked inner machinery. For Vogel, the leaf acts as a kind of biological Everyman representing the multidimensional physical and biological processes at work in our surrounding environment. In studying how leaves draw in moisture, absorb and exploit sunlight, bend with the wind, and conduct heat, we gain greater insight into our own physiology as well as the world around us. Vogel includes an abundance of illuminating photographs and instructions for do-it-yourself exercises readers can perform at home with minimal supplies. While his close inspection of the mechanics of leaf proliferation and evolution may strike many as a little too rigorous (equations and graphs are sprinkled throughout), nature lovers and botanists will delight in the details. --Carl Hays