Plant Sensing & Communication (Interspecific Interactions)

Research on mousear cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) showed that this flowering weed can detect the chewing sounds of its most common caterpillar predator and adjust its chemical defenses accordingly. While plants lack central nervous systems and ears, making their sensing mechanisms fundamentally different from animal hearing, they do perceive environmental cues and respond rapidly by altering their chemical, morphological, and behavioral traits. In Plant Sensing and Communication, Richard Karban offers the first comprehensive overview of how plants perceive their environments, communicate those perceptions, and learn. Like animals, plants sense light, chemicals, mechanical stimulation, temperature, electricity, and sound. Prior experiences affect their sensitivity and responses to cues—plants possess a form of memory. Plant sensing extends beyond individual organisms: they monitor neighboring plants and exchange information with other organisms through flowers and fruits. Rather than stationary, inanimate beings, plants engage in constant and active communication.