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The Communication Superpower of Flowering Plants

Flowering plants may possess a hidden ability to sense the presence of pollinators and strategically attract them for reproduction.

They might serve as receptors for bees’ electrical signals and transmit this information through the ground, according to biophysicist Daniel Robert’s presentation on March 6 at the American Physical Society meeting in Minneapolis. This discovery provides insight into how neighboring flowers communicate to optimize nectar production when pollination opportunities arise.

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The Electrifying Connection Between Bees and Flowers

Scientists have long theorized that plants engage in electrical communication, which offers a faster means of information exchange compared to chemical signals, as Robert, from the University of Bristol in England, explains. However, the specifics of this communication system and its potential interconnections within and across plant species remain enigmatic.

Previous research by Robert and his team revealed that bumblebees carry a positive electric charge while flowers carry a negative charge. Recent studies showed that petunia stems become more electrically charged when bees approach, leading to increased scent production in the flowers. This suggests that plants can detect pollinators through non-contact electrical signals.

In a new experiment, ecologist Fraser Woodburn, part of Robert’s team, designed antennas to emit signals resembling those generated by a bee’s wing flapping in an electric field. These antennas were placed above daffodils in a laboratory setting. Metal pieces, or electrodes, were also attached to flower stems to measure voltage fluctuations on the plant surface.

The results indicated that daffodils could receive electrical signals from the antennas without direct physical contact. Altering the flower’s shape by removing specific components reduced its ability to receive signals, possibly by changing its receptivity.

Underground Communication Among Plants

Extending their research outdoors, the team conducted experiments with hogweed plants and buttercups in Bristol University’s gardens. By simulating bees’ electrical signals above flower rows fitted with electrodes, the researchers observed surprising results. Even neighboring flowers shielded from above-ground signals showed electrical activity through underground transmission pathways.

This discovery suggests a potential system of plant communication via electric fields, posits physicist Scott Waitukaitis of the Institute of Science and Technology Austria. While the concept may seem far-fetched, further exploration is needed to uncover the extent of this phenomenon.

Ingo Dreyer, a biophysicist and botanist at the University of Talca, remains skeptical of the findings. He questions the feasibility of bees exchanging charges with their environment and the transmission efficiency of the detected signals, which were significantly weaker than the input.

Potential Energy Conservation Through Plant Communication

Robert speculates that this electrical exchange could help plants conserve energy by coordinating nectar production with pollinator presence. Timing nectar secretion to align with pollinator activity could enhance reproductive success while minimizing resource expenditure.

Overall, the implications of this plant communication system remain uncertain, highlighting the need for further research to unravel this intriguing aspect of botanical interaction.

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