plant communication

Question 1

What factors affect the stability of plant communities?

Answer 1

• Intra-species interactions (within the same species)
  Inter-species interactions (between different species)
• These interactions can be positive (cooperation) or negative (competition), affecting stability and growth.
• Negative effect: Competition for resources like light.
  Positive effect: Nutrient sharing between plants.

Question 2

What are the basic requirements for plant communication?

Answer 2

• Signal emission capability: Plants must be able to release signals.
• Sensing capability: Plants need the ability to perceive signals.
• Perception by the receiver: The receiving plant must have specific receptors to detect the signal.
• Signaling cascades: Signals are transmitted from one plant to another in a series of reactions.

Question 3

What are the key roles of plant communication?

Answer 3

• Alert and induce responses to abiotic (e.g., stress) and biotic (e.g., herbivory) stresses.
• Synchronize sexual maturation between male and female flowers.
• Simultaneous fruit maturation.
• Competition: Plants compete for resources by signaling nearby plants.
• Resource access: Plants communicate to improve access to water, nutrients, and other resources.

Question 4

What are the main signaling substances used in plant communication?

Answer 4

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): Gaseous molecules released in response to stress or damage.
• Terpenes: A class of compounds involved in signaling.
• These signals depend on the developmental stage of the plant and can be either species-specific or general to all plants.
• Combination of signals: Signals can work independently or in combination to trigger a response.

Question 5

How do plants communicate through the air in response to stress?

Answer 5

• VOCs such as ethylene are produced by plants under abiotic stress (e.g., water scarcity).
• Ethylene is a simple gas hydrocarbon produced from the amino acid methionine and is involved in various responses.

Question 6

How do plants respond to wounding and pathogens?

Answer 6

• Local responses to wounding: Limiting damage and initiating repair mechanisms.
• Defence signals for nearby plants: VOCs like Jasmonic acid (JA) and Methyl Jasmonate (Me-JA) alert other plants to potential threats.
• Pathogen-induced defence compounds: Include phytoalexins, defensins, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and ethylene to protect against pathogen attack.

Question 7

How do plants respond to herbivore attacks?

Answer 7

• Chemical production to make plants less attractive to herbivores.
• VOCs alert nearby plants to prepare defenses.
• Predator attraction: Plants release signals to attract predators that will attack the herbivores.

Question 8

How do plants coordinate sexual and fruit maturation?

Answer 8

• Volatile communication: Male and female plants use volatiles to synchronize sexual maturation, promoting seed formation.
• Fruit ripening: Largely regulated by gibberellins (GA) and ethylene, with ethylene promoting the maturation process once the fruit reaches maturity.

Question 9

How do plants communicate through the soil?

Answer 9

• Germination and growth: Plants release chemicals to either promote self-germination or inhibit germination of other species.
• Sesquiterpenoids: Potent chemicals that inhibit germination of competing plants.
• Ethylene: Can also inhibit germination in surrounding plants.

Question 10

How do plants communicate with soil organisms?

Answer 10

Mycorrhizal fungi: Plants communicate with these fungi to facilitate water and nutrient uptake from the soil.
Soil bacteria: Plants communicate with bacteria to enhance nitrogen uptake.