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HomeEnvironment"Underground Secrets: How Plants 'Eavesdrop' in Nature's Social Networks"

“Underground Secrets: How Plants ‘Eavesdrop’ in Nature’s Social Networks”

A recent study has employed a modeling technique that indicates it’s improbable for plants to develop the ability to alert one another about potential threats. Rather than actively transmitting warning signals through their communication systems, the research suggests that plants are more inclined to “eavesdrop” on their surrounding plants.

A recent study conducted by the University of Oxford has utilized a modeling technique to demonstrate that it’s unlikely for plants to evolve mechanisms to warn other plants of potential threats. Instead of using their communication networks to send warning signals, the findings propose that plants are more prone to “eavesdropping” on their neighbors. This research was published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Terrestrial plants can connect through an intricate underground mycorrhizal network, often referred to as ‘the wood wide web.’ These networks form because mycorrhizal fungi establish symbiotic relationships with plant roots, allowing plants to acquire essential nutrients while the fungi receive carbon in return. Research has shown that resources and information can be shared through this mycorrhizal network, benefiting other plants.

Previous research has indicated that when a plant is attacked by herbivores or pathogens, other plants linked to the same fungal network often enhance their defense mechanisms. However, it has remained uncertain whether plants that are under threat actively communicate to warn others to bolster their defenses.

The concept of active communication among plants seems at odds with evolutionary theory, which posits that such behavior would only be advantageous if it benefits both the signal-sending and signal-receiving plants. This raised a puzzling question for scientists: why would a plant under attack alert its neighbors?

To explore this question, a research team led by the University of Oxford, in partnership with Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, used mathematical models to analyze various hypothetical scenarios. Their findings revealed that it is extremely rare to find instances where plants would evolve to alert each other to impending threats. A likely explanation is that plants compete with their neighbors for essential resources such as light and nutrients, meaning they do not gain from aiding their competitors. The results even suggested that plants might benefit from misleading their neighbors.

The lead author, Dr. Thomas Scott from the Department of Biology at the University of Oxford, stated: “Our findings suggest that plants are more likely to behave deceitfully towards their neighbors rather than altruistically. For example, plants might indicate that they are being attacked by herbivores when there is no actual threat. Such dishonest signaling could provide an advantage by causing local competitors to unnecessarily invest in expensive defense mechanisms against herbivores.”

This new research challenges the notion of altruistic behavior in plants, highlighting the need to explore alternative explanations.

The mathematical models identified two potential explanations for why nearby plants increase their defense mechanisms when one of them is under attack. It could be that plants are unable to suppress the cues indicating they are under threat—similar to how humans blush when embarrassed—thereby inadvertently alerting their neighbors.

Another possibility is that mycorrhizal fungi monitor their host plants, recognizing when they are under attack and subsequently warning other plants in the network. This theory makes evolutionary sense as fungi would benefit from helping to protect the plants with which they share resources.

“Perhaps it’s actually the fungal networks that are transmitting the warning signals,” Dr. Scott added. “Mycorrhizal fungi depend on the plants within their network for carbohydrates, making it essential to keep these plants healthy. It’s conceivable that the fungi are listening in on their plant partners, identifying when one is attacked, and then alerting the others to prepare accordingly.”

Co-author Professor Toby Kiers from Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, and Executive Director of the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) remarked: “It’s undeniable that information is exchanged. Organisms are continuously detecting and interpreting information about their surroundings. The real question is whether plants are proactively sending signals to alert one another. It’s possible that, like gossiping neighbors, one plant simply overhears what its neighbor is saying.”