一般看似平靜的花園植物其實不像人們所認為的那樣隨遇而安,至少在面對陌生植物時確是如此。加拿大麥克瑪斯特大學的學者實驗發現,當同種不同根的陌生植物被迫在同一花盆內生長時,植物會出現好爭的變化;不過出自同根的植物在同樣的情況下,卻相對「客氣」許多。
由於「同根組」與「非同根組」兩組所對應的差別,只出現在種植於同一花盆的條件下,以植物盤根錯節的互動差異來看,不排除植物具有辨識親屬的本能。
生物學助理教授杜莉(Susan Dudley)指出,儘管植物不具認知和記憶的能力,不過經研究顯示,植物之間也會出現複雜的社交行為,例如對同根親戚會出現利他主義的互動方式。
這項發現或許可以建議園丁或園藝家們,改變原先的種植方式,將同根植物安插在一塊。不過植物如何辨識同花盆內的鄰居是否為親戚,仍待研究者進一步去探解。
The apparently passive garden plant is not as easy-going as people assume, at least not with strangers. Researchers at McMaster University have found that plants become competitive when forced to share a pot with strangers of the same species, but they are more friendly when potted with their siblings.
Because differences between groups of strangers and groups of siblings only occurred when they shared a pot, the root interactions may provide a cue for kin recognition.
Though they lack cognition and memory, Dr. Susan Dudley, associate professor of biology, says the study shows plants are capable of complex social behaviors such as altruism towards relatives.
Gdeners might want to use this discovery to change their plant arrangements, placing siblings close to one another.But, how the plants learn which neighbor is a relative is still a mystery.
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