Do Plants Communicate Through Sound?

  • Thread starter g33kski11z
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Plants
In summary, a recent study has found that plants can communicate acoustically through repetitive clicking sounds, which can influence the growth of their roots. However, the nature of this communication is still a mystery and further evidence is needed to support this claim. The original article was published in a magazine called "Idea's & Discoveries" but it is not considered a reliable source by some.
  • #1
g33kski11z
54
0
I came across this in a magazine and I'm skeptical about it. Does anyone have any evidence to support this or a link to the "studies' it references?

Per attachment: "We know that plants utilize biochemical signaling molecules to communicate, especially when a predator is nearby. But biologists have now discovered plants also communicate acoustically. Researchers observed uniform repetitive clicking sounds of about 220 MHz amount cereal plants. Clearly these plants can 'hear' these sounds because the noise influences the growth of their roots. But what these plants 'talk' about is still a mystery."
 

Attachments

  • photo.JPG
    photo.JPG
    45.5 KB · Views: 418
Biology news on Phys.org
  • #2
g33kski11z said:
I came across this in a magazine and I'm skeptical about it. Does anyone have any evidence to support this or a link to the "studies' it references?

Per attachment: "We know that plants utilize biochemical signaling molecules to communicate, especially when a predator is nearby. But biologists have now discovered plants also communicate acoustically. Researchers observed uniform repetitive clicking sounds of about 220 MHz amount cereal plants. Clearly these plants can 'hear' these sounds because the noise influences the growth of their roots. But what these plants 'talk' about is still a mystery."

what magazine?
 
  • #3
g33kski11z said:
I came across this in a magazine and I'm skeptical about it. Does anyone have any evidence to support this or a link to the "studies' it references?

Per attachment: "We know that plants utilize biochemical signaling molecules to communicate, especially when a predator is nearby. But biologists have now discovered plants also communicate acoustically. Researchers observed uniform repetitive clicking sounds of about 220 MHz amount cereal plants. Clearly these plants can 'hear' these sounds because the noise influences the growth of their roots. But what these plants 'talk' about is still a mystery."
How do they know that the sound influences the growth of their roots?
It "sounds" to me that they may have gotten it backwards. I can believe that the growth process in plants can generate sounds. Maybe when the roots grow, friction with the soil creates a low pitched sound. This sound would be analogous to the Aeolian tone when wind blows against the ground. Then the faster the growth, the louder the sound.
In this hypothesis, the growth of roots causes the sound. However, the sound does not influence the growth of roots.
If it is true the sound influences the growth of roots, then I don't see how. The plants don't have any known sensors that are specialized for listening to sound.
Chemical communication between plants seems a lot more plausible. The growth of plants is regulated by the diffusion of auxin. It appears to me even likely that plants would evolve to release auxin or auxin-like chemicals as a type of communication.
The hypothesis that plants communicate by sound may be wishful thinking on the part of people who talk to plants. It appears more likely a plant would respond to a persons body odor, or to their deodorants, than to sound. Plants have known sensitivities to chemicals. Yet, I have never heard of anyone putting on a certain perfume or deodorant for gardening.
 
  • #5
The magazine is called "Idea's & Discoveries" .. I've never seen it before.

Thanks for the link, but unfortunately, I don't have a membership there.. :-/
 
  • #6
g33kski11z said:
The magazine is called "Idea's & Discoveries" .. I've never seen it before.

Thanks for the link, but unfortunately, I don't have a membership there.. :-/

Well it seems your initial skepticism was on target. That magazine isn't on the list of acceptable journals we use here.

Here's the full list:

http://ip-science.thomsonreuters.com/cgi-bin/jrnlst/jlresults.cgi?PC=MASTER
 
  • #7
Thanks for the info!

(side note)
I was going to post this in the skepticism / debunking sub-forum, but that seems to be gone. What happened to it?
 
  • #8

1. How do plants communicate?

Plants communicate through a variety of methods, including chemical signals, electrical signals, and physical signals. Chemical signals involve the release of compounds, such as hormones, into the air or soil. Electrical signals are transmitted through the plant's cells and can trigger responses in neighboring plants. Physical signals include movements, such as the closing of leaves in response to touch or changes in light.

2. Can plants communicate with each other?

Yes, plants can communicate with each other through the methods mentioned above. They can also communicate with different species of plants, such as warning neighboring plants of potential threats or attracting pollinators.

3. Do plants communicate with animals?

Plants can communicate with animals through chemical signals, such as releasing scents to attract pollinators or repel predators. They can also use physical signals, such as flowers that change color to signal when they are ready for pollination.

4. How do plants benefit from communication?

Plants benefit from communication in several ways. They can use communication to warn other plants of potential threats, share resources, and attract pollinators for reproduction. This allows them to increase their chances of survival and reproduction, ultimately contributing to the overall health of the ecosystem.

5. Can plants communicate with humans?

Plants do not have the ability to communicate with humans in the same way that we communicate with each other. However, we can observe and interpret their methods of communication to understand their needs and the state of their environment. For example, wilting leaves can indicate a need for water, and changing colors can signal the change of seasons.

Similar threads

What colors and attributes could alien flora & fauna have?
    • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
15
Views
3K
The Scientist as Hero - or not
    • Art, Music, History, and Linguistics
Replies
1
Views
1K
Arthur Conan Doyle and Spiritualism
    • General Discussion
Replies
12
Views
7K
News Is James Randi a skeptic or a Republican climate change denier?
    • General Discussion
2
Replies
59
Views
9K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top