Plant shoots exhibit synchronized oscillatory motions
In animals, the ability to move has evolved as an important means of protection from predators and for enhancing nutrient uptake. In the animal kingdom, an individual's movements may become coordinated with those of other individuals that belong to the same group, which leads, for example, to t...
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2016-09-01
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19420889.2016.1238117 |
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doaj-2b316b7dc3984d77b19b2fd7400212482021-03-02T10:03:26ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCommunicative & Integrative Biology1942-08892016-09-019510.1080/19420889.2016.12381171238117Plant shoots exhibit synchronized oscillatory motionsMarzena Ciszak0Elisa Masi1František Baluška2Stefano Mancuso3Gonzaga University in FlorenceUniversity of FlorenceUniversity of BonnUniversity of FlorenceIn animals, the ability to move has evolved as an important means of protection from predators and for enhancing nutrient uptake. In the animal kingdom, an individual's movements may become coordinated with those of other individuals that belong to the same group, which leads, for example, to the beautiful collective patterns that are observed in flocks of birds and schools of fish or in animal migration. Land plants, however, are fixed to the ground, which limits their movement and, apparently, their interactions and collective behaviors. We show that emergent maize plants grown in a group exhibit synchronized oscillatory motions that may be in-phase or anti-phase. These oscillations occur in short bursts and appear when the leaves rupture from the coleoptile tip. The appearance of these oscillations indicates an abrupt increase in the plant growth rate, which may be associated with a sudden change in the energy uptake for photosynthesis. Our results suggest that plant shoots behave as a complex network of biological oscillators, interacting through biophysical links, e.g. chemical substances or electric signals.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19420889.2016.1238117anti-phase synchronizationcomplex networkin-phase synchronizationoscillatory motionplant shoots |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Marzena Ciszak Elisa Masi František Baluška Stefano Mancuso |
spellingShingle |
Marzena Ciszak Elisa Masi František Baluška Stefano Mancuso Plant shoots exhibit synchronized oscillatory motions Communicative & Integrative Biology anti-phase synchronization complex network in-phase synchronization oscillatory motion plant shoots |
author_facet |
Marzena Ciszak Elisa Masi František Baluška Stefano Mancuso |
author_sort |
Marzena Ciszak |
title |
Plant shoots exhibit synchronized oscillatory motions |
title_short |
Plant shoots exhibit synchronized oscillatory motions |
title_full |
Plant shoots exhibit synchronized oscillatory motions |
title_fullStr |
Plant shoots exhibit synchronized oscillatory motions |
title_full_unstemmed |
Plant shoots exhibit synchronized oscillatory motions |
title_sort |
plant shoots exhibit synchronized oscillatory motions |
publisher |
Taylor & Francis Group |
series |
Communicative & Integrative Biology |
issn |
1942-0889 |
publishDate |
2016-09-01 |
description |
In animals, the ability to move has evolved as an important means of protection from predators and for enhancing nutrient uptake. In the animal kingdom, an individual's movements may become coordinated with those of other individuals that belong to the same group, which leads, for example, to the beautiful collective patterns that are observed in flocks of birds and schools of fish or in animal migration. Land plants, however, are fixed to the ground, which limits their movement and, apparently, their interactions and collective behaviors. We show that emergent maize plants grown in a group exhibit synchronized oscillatory motions that may be in-phase or anti-phase. These oscillations occur in short bursts and appear when the leaves rupture from the coleoptile tip. The appearance of these oscillations indicates an abrupt increase in the plant growth rate, which may be associated with a sudden change in the energy uptake for photosynthesis. Our results suggest that plant shoots behave as a complex network of biological oscillators, interacting through biophysical links, e.g. chemical substances or electric signals. |
topic |
anti-phase synchronization complex network in-phase synchronization oscillatory motion plant shoots |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19420889.2016.1238117 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT marzenaciszak plantshootsexhibitsynchronizedoscillatorymotions AT elisamasi plantshootsexhibitsynchronizedoscillatorymotions AT frantisekbaluska plantshootsexhibitsynchronizedoscillatorymotions AT stefanomancuso plantshootsexhibitsynchronizedoscillatorymotions |
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