Plants and trees are full of wonder, they provide us with oxygen and fresh air. They cleanse our environment from the pollution and are a source of nutritious food to animals. These are the common images that appear’s in one’s mind when they think about plants but when I think about plants, it reminds me of Toy Story animation films. In the movie, the toys come to life when humans are not around, plants also do the same but even when humans are present. In this blog, I will share some of those things that goes unnoticed unless we observe them carefully.
π±1. Plants talk with each other
Yes ! They do eavesdrop on each other but not exactly the way humans do, they communicate through chemicals released via air or roots. These signals are necessary to transmit information when a nearby plant is being attacked or damaged.
π±2. Plants can see
Simple cellular organisms like green algae have eyespot and observational research evidence suggests that similar proteins are seen in plant structures called plastoglobuli which changes the colours of the fall leaves.
π±3. Plants can move
Plants can not literally walk but they can disperse to new areas through their seeds. Some plants produce samara seeds (winged seeds) which can fly off long distances avoiding predation/parasitism or unfavourable environmental conditions.
π±4. Plants are carnivores too
Some plants have special defense mechanisms to defend themselves from insects/parasites etc. The Venus Flytrap is one of the most popular plants that traps and eats insects.
Hence, plants are more than just oxygen pumping systems, they have a whole world of activity under those steady structures.
Applied Plant Ecology Winter 2020 