Plants can lie and gossip to survive and outcompete their neighbors.
An international group of scientists has proven that plants are capable of deception.
Plants were previously thought to be able to warn others of danger, PNAS reports.
It has now become clear that in the process of evolution it is more profitable for plants to intimidate other plants.
Plants communicate with each other through an underground network of fungi in their root systems.
Through it, plants transmit resources and information.
However, as it turns out, they also use it to deceive.
Scientists have created mathematical models to simulate the behavior of plants in different situations.
It turns out that plants benefit from sending false alarm signals to others.
When a plant falsely signals danger, its neighbors spend a lot of energy on defense. At this time, the plant itself gains an advantage.
The authors of the studies believe that plants are capable of eavesdropping on information and even gossiping about it to their neighbors.
Presumably, mushrooms on the network share information to protect their resources.
Author: Elena Gutyro
