Theory of 'smart' plants may explain the evolution of global ecosystems

[Panich52]

Theory of 'smart' plants may explain the evolution of global ecosystems

In a new global theory of land-biome evolution, researchers suggest that plants are not passive features of their environments, but may instead actively behave in ways that determine the productivity and composition of their ecosystems.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151201130017.htm

[merrily]

1. Rec-ing because I read the headline as "Theory of smartypants explains....."

In the moment, it seemed like a good reason to rec. Go smarty plants! Save yourselves and us.

Meanwhile, I obviously need an eye exam.

[enough]

2. Interesting article. Confirms what I've always thought I was observing in

50 years of gardening in the same place. I have no doubt at all that plants "actively behave in ways that determine the productivity and composition of their ecosystems."

Thanks for posting.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. An apple is how a plant tricks humans to grow huge orchards of apple trees with water & nutrients.nt

[d_r]

4. a botanist once told me

"The entire history of this planet is a war between the trees and the grasses, and we in our short lives are only pawns."

I often think of that when I am mowing the yard.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. Good point behind that, but actually grasses are a recent innovation

... so not exactly "the entire history of this planet".

[d_r]

6. well maybe it was

the entire history of humanity or something like that.

[MisterP]

7. well, our hillbilly relatives let the grass grow and shoot up the trees so maybe there's an "out"?