Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.
Division of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Plant Biol (Stuttg). 2020 Nov;22(6):961-970. doi: 10.1111/plb.13149. Epub 2020 Aug 17.
Plants are not just passive living beings that exist in nature. They are complex and highly adaptable species that react sensitively to environmental forces/stimuli with movement, morphological changes and through the communication via volatile molecules. In a way, plants mimic some traits of animal and human behaviour; they compete for limited resources by gaining more area for more sunlight and spread their roots underground. Furthermore, in order to survive and thrive, they evolve and 'learn' to control various environmental stress factors in order to increase the yield of flowering, fertilization and germination processes. The concept of associating complex behaviour, such as intelligence, with plants is still a highly debatable topic among researchers worldwide. Recent studies have shown that plants are able to discriminate between positive and negative experiences and 'learn' from them. Some botanists have interpreted these behavioural data as a form of primitive cognitive processes. Others have evaluated these responses as biological automatisms of plants determined by adaptation to the environment and absence of intelligence. This review aims to explore adaptive behavioural aspects of various plant species distributed in different ecosystems by emphasizing their biological complexity and survival instincts.
植物不仅仅是存在于自然界中的被动生物。它们是复杂且高度适应环境的物种，能够通过运动、形态变化以及通过挥发性分子进行通讯，对环境力量/刺激做出敏感反应。在某种程度上，植物模仿了一些动物和人类行为的特征；它们通过获得更多的阳光面积来争夺有限的资源，并在地下扩展根系。此外，为了生存和茁壮成长，它们会进化并“学习”控制各种环境压力因素，以提高开花、受精和发芽过程的产量。将复杂行为（如智力）与植物联系起来的概念在全球研究人员中仍然是一个极具争议的话题。最近的研究表明，植物能够区分积极和消极的体验，并从中“学习”。一些植物学家将这些行为数据解释为原始认知过程的一种形式。另一些人则将这些反应评估为植物的生物自动机制，由对环境的适应和缺乏智力决定。本综述旨在通过强调不同生态系统中各种植物物种的生物复杂性和生存本能，探讨它们的适应性行为方面。
