After all, plants may have “ears”. New research shows that flowers can detect buzzing close to pollinators and respond with a quick and sweet sweetness that essentially provides insect visitors with a better enjoyment.
The discovery of acoustic communication between plants and pollinators challenges our understanding of plant biology and proposes complex relationships over millions of years.
Results presented Wednesday at a joint meeting of the American Acoustic Society and the International Acoustic Conference show that Snapdragon flowers respond to records of bees buzzing by increasing sugar content in their nectar and changing gene expression related to sugar yield and transportation.
Listen to the right companion
Although scientists have long studied how plants use visual cues and scents to attract pollinators, the acoustic dimensions of this relationship have not been explored until now. A research team led by Francesca Barbero of the University of Turin plays the buzz of Rhodanthidium Sticticum Bees (also known as Snail-Shell Bees) near the growing snapdragon flowers.
“While there is a growing body of evidence that both insects and plants can perceive, generate or transmit vibroausostic signals, the collaborative evolution of plant-pollination is studied mainly by evaluating the generation and perception of visual and olfactory cues,” Barbero said.
The results are surprising. When exposed to the sound of these effective pollinators, the Snapdragons’ reaction is to increase the volume and sugar concentration of nectar. More obviously, flowers even change their gene expression patterns, managing sugar transport and nectar production.
This response may represent a complex evolutionary strategy. By enhancing the rewards of right pollinators, plants may increase the time these insects spend on flowers, potentially improving pollination success and reproductive outcomes.
Two-way dialogue?
This study raises interesting questions about whether this acoustic relationship works in both directions. Can plants also produce sounds that attract suitable pollinators? The team is currently investigating this possibility.
“The ability to distinguish proximal pollinator based on its unique sensitive acoustic signals may be an adaptive strategy for plants,” Barbero explained. “By replying to their appropriate positive signals (e.g., effective pollinator), their reproductive success can be improved if their response promotes modifications to pollinator behavior.”
If plants can indeed attract pollinators through acoustic means, these implications may transcend natural ecosystems. “If this response from insects is confirmed, sound can be used to treat economically related plants and crops and increase their attractiveness to attract pollinators,” Barbero added.
Beyond the buzzing bees
Plants appear to be able to detect various acoustic signals from the environment, not just from pollinators. Previous studies documented the plant’s response to sound, which included:
- Changes in seed germination rate when exposed to certain frequencies
- The response of body growth to vibration (called thigmo-Morpheonemenoxemenoxement Responses)
- Responsive to specific sounds increases photosynthesis activity
- Modified gene expression and hormone production after sound stimulation
- Defensive response triggered by sounds fed by herbivore
“It’s amazing how plants can use two biological factors such as beneficial and harmful insects, other adjacent plants, as well as temperatures, droughts and winds in their surroundings, such as temperatures, droughts and winds,” Barbero noted.
The team’s current work extends these findings by comparing Snapdragon’s response to different pollinators, even “nectar robbers,” i.e. insects, which have made insects without pollinating plants.
A multidisciplinary approach
This study brings together experts from different fields to create unique collaborative efforts to understand these subtle interactions. The project is titled “Good Resonance: How Plants Identify and Respond to Positive Signals in Pollinators?” combines the expertise of entomologists, sound engineers and plant physiologists in three countries.
International collaborations include researchers from the University of Turin, Italy, I²Sysbio in Valencia, Spain, and the Audio, Acoustics and Vibration Centre from the University of Technology Sydney, Australia.
As a team member, J. Tomás Matus from I2Sysbio, Spain, described their mission: “We strive to revolutionize our understanding of how plants interact with the environment through carefully adjusted communication.”
As this study continues to evolve, it may fundamentally change the way we understand plants communicate and perceive. The silent world of plants may be less silent than we thought – the hum of bees is not just the background noise in the garden. This may be part of the ancient acoustic conversation that takes place around us, and we are only starting to hear it now.
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