Sunday, July 14, 2024

How Do Plants Communicate


How Do Plants Communicate?

Deep beneath the forest floor and high in the canopy, plants engage in a silent but sophisticated dialogue, sharing secrets and warnings through chemical signals, electrical impulses, and underground fungal networks.

Imagine walking through a forest, feeling the cool breeze and hearing the rustle of leaves. You might think the trees and plants around you are silent, but they are actually having their own conversations. 

How do they do this? Let's dive into the hidden world of plant communication, where plants talk to each other in some amazing ways!

First, let's talk about how plants send signals through the air. When a plant is being eaten by insects, it can release special chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Imagine a caterpillar munching on a leaf. The plant senses this attack and sends out VOCs into the air, like invisible smoke signals. These chemicals float over to nearby plants, warning them about the danger. The other plants then start making their own chemicals to defend themselves, making their leaves taste bad or even poisonous to the insects. It’s like a neighborhood warning system!

But plants don't just talk above ground. Beneath our feet, there’s a secret underground network made of roots and tiny fungi called mycorrhizae. These fungi connect the roots of different plants, forming a web-like structure. Through this network, plants can share nutrients and information. For example, if one tree is thirsty, it can send a message through the mycorrhizae to other trees, telling them to conserve water. It’s like the internet for plants!

Now, here’s something really cool: plants can also send electrical signals. When part of a plant gets damaged, it sends quick electrical impulses through its tissues, similar to how our nerves send messages in our bodies. These electrical signals can trigger other parts of the plant to start defending themselves. It’s as if the plant is sending an emergency alert to its own branches and leaves.

One of the most fascinating discoveries is that plants can make sounds, specifically ultrasonic clicks. Scientists found that when plants are stressed, like if they don’t have enough water, they produce tiny popping sounds. These sounds are too high-pitched for us to hear, but special microphones can pick them up. The exact mechanism isn’t fully understood, but it’s believed that these sounds come from tiny bubbles forming and bursting inside the plant’s water channels. It’s like the plant is crying out for help!

And yes, plants also use mycelia, which are the thread-like parts of fungi, to communicate. Mycelia connect different plants and trees, allowing them to send signals and share resources. This network helps plants warn each other about dangers like insect attacks or droughts. Think of mycelia as the underground cables that connect computers in a network, allowing plants to "talk" to each other even when they are far apart.

Learn more about fascinating science facts - click here.

Let’s dive deeper into how this underground communication works. When a plant is under attack by pests or facing a shortage of nutrients, it can release chemical signals into the soil. These signals are picked up by the mycelia, which then transport the information to other connected plants. The receiving plants can then prepare themselves by boosting their defenses or adjusting their nutrient intake. This cooperation helps the whole plant community stay healthy and resilient.

A real-life example of this can be seen in forests where trees of different species help each other out. For instance, older, larger trees, often called "mother trees," can supply younger saplings with nutrients through the mycelial network. This support is crucial for the survival of the younger trees, especially in challenging conditions like droughts or poor soil quality.

Another fascinating aspect of plant communication involves their roots. Plants can release chemicals into the soil that affect the growth and behavior of neighboring plants. Some plants release allelopathic chemicals that inhibit the growth of potential competitors, ensuring they have enough resources for themselves. 

On the other hand, some plants release chemicals that attract beneficial microbes or fungi, which help them absorb nutrients more efficiently.

In addition to these chemical and electrical signals, plants also respond to physical stimuli. For example, when a vine touches a surface, it can sense the contact and start wrapping around the object for support. This touch-sensitive behavior is another way plants interact with their environment.

So, the next time you walk through a forest or garden, remember that the plants around you are far from being passive, silent organisms. They are actively communicating, sharing resources, and responding to their environment in complex and fascinating ways. Whether through chemical signals in the air, electrical impulses within their tissues, or the intricate mycelial networks underground, plants are constantly engaged in a dynamic dialogue that helps them survive and thrive. 

Isn't it amazing to think that the green world around us is so alive with hidden conversations?

Do you enjoy true science stories? 

See my Book Series on true science stories and fascinating facts

Discover more like this in my most recent book "Interesting Fun Facts You Need to Know."

Thanks for reading,
George 

Questions or comments: email me at gsranko@gmail.com



Friday, April 12, 2024

Inspiring Young People in Our Lives


How do we inspire the Young People in Our Lives?

I've been reflecting a lot on this as we come towards the end of our time on the Viking World Cruise. 

Our lives have been filled with so many awesome experiences, stories and photos! 
What are the messages we want to convey to our friends and family?

My wife Jan reminds me that we owe our young ones the favor of transmitting hope for the future rather than despair over the state of the world... especially the natural world.

I believe kids love fascinating facts and stories about animals because they can easily engender a sense of awe and wonder about the natural world. When I was a youngster I couldn't get enough of the stories of nature and travel by authors like Gerald Durrell, Mark Twain, Loren Eiseley, and Edward Abbey.

I'm in the process of gathering some of the most fascinating facts I can discover about animals and collecting them in a book under the pen name of B. B. Brilliant.  You can download a completely free preview here.

Here's my goal for writing these Brilliant books:

I write books designed to “Spark Imagination and Brighten Minds” under the pen name B.B. Brilliant, I believe strongly in the transformative power of storytelling to inspire young readers to explore the boundless realms of creativity and knowledge.

By crafting enchanting books filled with fun facts, adventure, and valuable life lessons, B.B. Brilliant aims to ignite the spark of imagination within each child, encouraging them to dream big, think creatively, and embrace their unique brilliance. Through his books, B.B. Brilliant seeks to provide a gateway to a world where young minds can delve into the wonders of imagination, learn important values, and ultimately emerge with a brighter outlook on life and an insatiable thirst for discovery and nature.

I believe books by B. B. Brilliant have a bright future!  My hope is that they will inspire many young people for decades to come!



Friday, March 29, 2024

History of Life on Our Planet over 4.5 Billion Years

How Do You Represent Billions of Years of Life on Our Planet?

4.5 Billion Years of Earth History as a Football Field

As a biologist one of the key concepts I like to convey to audiences is what we call Deep Time.  We can talk about 300,000 million years, for example, but what does this number really mean?  How can we get our heads around such vast periods of time?


This is super important because it is key to understanding the power of evolution through natural selection over the eons.  Tiny changes over millions of years add up as species adapt to changing climates, geographic isolation, new predators, loss of food resources, etc.


One of the best depictions of Deep Time that I've run across is the metaphor of a football field to represent the full 4.5 Billion Years of Earth history.  In my presentations, I use an excellent video that I've discovered.

You can see this 4 minute video on my website.


All the best from the Indian Ocean, one day from Port Louis on the island of Mauritius.
George


Thursday, March 7, 2024

 

Map of Viking World Cruise 2023-24

We just joined the Viking World Cruise in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. 

We will be on board the Viking Sky for the cruise around Africa and disembarking in Lisbon.  

My lectures will introduce guests to some of the unique ecosystems and wildlife of SE Asia, Mauritius, and continental Africa. Here's a sampling of my lecture topics:

"Dodos to Lemurs: Contrasting Creatures of Mauritius & Madagascar" Explore the evolutionary marvels of Mauritius and Madagascar, where isolation in the same sea has sculpted wildly distinct wildlife wonders from dodos to lemurs." 
 
“African Wildlife Up Close & Personal.” Experience the rich ecosystems of the Okavango Delta and Kruger National Park through a photo safari. 
 
"Apex Predators of Africa" Discover the fascinating role of the largest carnivores in Africa… and their valuable ecological roles in “top-down” structuring of the ecosystem. Without Lions, would their prey survive? 
 
“Southern Coast of Africa—Where the Sea Saved Humanity.” Gain insight into how modern humans survived on this coast more than 100,000 years ago. 
 
“In the Realm of the Great White Shark.” Explore the fascinating lives of these top marine predators and the ecosystems they help create. 
 
“Namib & Kalahari Deserts—Ecosystems & Adaptations.” Find out how wildlife—elephants, lions, oryx and more—and the first affluent human culture evolved. 

"Sun, Wind, and Water: Africa's Green Energy Safari" Embark on a thrilling safari through Africa's renewable landscape, where the power of sun, wind, and water is driving an energy revolution. 
 
"Some of the Most Fascinating Creatures from Our Travels!" Embark on an exciting journey with our real-life wildlife adventures. Discover fascinating facts about egg-laying mammals, the world's most perilous birds, massive sea-going reptiles, and much more. 

“The Remarkable Story of How We Cracked Open Planet Earth.” Learn how one remarkable woman mapped the seafloor, helping to reveal surprising scientific secrets about Earth’s dynamic crust. 

"Canary Islands: Remarkable Ecosystems and Adaptations" Dive into the natural tapestry of the Canary Islands, where volcanic origins have given rise to ecosystems and cultures as unique and dynamic as the islands themselves.

You can follow along on our journey! Visit AnimalsFYI.com and follow the links.

Happy Travels!  Go Wild!

George
World Explorations Speaker