Rare Cliffhanging Plant Species Uses Unique Reproductive Strategy With Ants

[xchrom]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120912184522.htm

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Flowering female plant with a visiting ant (Lasius). (Credit: María B. García et al, PLoS ONE, 2012; 7 (9): e44657 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044657)

ScienceDaily (Sep. 12, 2012) — The Borderea chouardii plant, which is critically endangered and is found only on two adjacent cliff sides in the Pyrenees, employs a unique and risky doubly mutualistic reproductive strategy with local ants, according to research published Sep. 12 in the open access journal PLOS ONE.

The researchers, led by Maria Garcia of the Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (CSIC), found that two ant species acted as the main pollinators for the plant, while a third species dispersed seeds. About a third of the new seedlings censused over 17 years in vertical cliffs would come from such dispersal, while the remaining two thirds from self-sown seeds by the female plants.

Such a strategy is risky, because if something were to happen to the local ant species the plant may not be able to continue reproducing, but the authors conclude that it can be successful in this particular case because of the plant's unusually long lifespan, in some cases reaching over 300 years, its climatically stable habitat, and its isolation from large herbivores.

[socialindependocrat]

1. There is no plant "strategy"

Such a strategy is risky

To clarify, before someone thinks that plants have brains...

The plant is passive and because these ant help to spread seeds
more of these plants thrive.

Better case: Trees seeds need to get away from the parent tree or they may not get enough sunlight to survive. Also, if all the seeds that fall to the ground sprouted they would encroach on the parent and compete for resources of water and nutrients. The trees with seeds that have a mechanism that allows them to float on the air currents and get away from the parent or that have fruit and are carried off by animals have a better chance of survival and therefore will produce more seeds and plants with their particular characteristics than the trees/seeds without.
The tree is passive but those trees that have genetic mutations that allow for a greater survival rate will have a greater chance of survival.

I just wanted to clear that up for anyone who was confused by how a plants could
think and actively participate in it's propagation and survival.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. How do we know plants can't think?

[socialindependocrat]

3. Where would the thought process reside?

The other answer (to support your question):
Maybe they have a way of thinking that we can not relate to as humans.

Or Why do they seem to respond to music and talking?

If we proove that plants think and have feelings then the vegans would starve to death
so let's not push it too much..

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. "If we can't measure it, it does not exist"

has always cracked me up, esp. since so many people then turn around and express a belief about an invisible man in the sky.

[Odin2005]

5. They don't have a nervous system.

It would be a waste of energy.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. Also lots of studies showing trees can communicate with each other.

Rather than listing pages of them, I suggest a google search of
"trees communicate with each other".

I often wonder why humans insist only those with a beating heart can be said to have consciousness and awareness.