The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth
Overview
Zoe Schlanger’s The Light Eaters is an interesting and high-level exploration of plants’ hidden intelligence, communication, and sensory abilities. Although the jury is still out on most of the research, it seems that plants are much more complex than we give them credit for. Unsurprisingly, really, since they have had much longer to evolve while having to find different solutions than animals have.
Key Concepts
Plants can see and respond to light
Plants don’t just absorb light for photosynthesis; they also use it as an information source. They can detect different wavelengths of light, signaling when to grow, flower, or defend themselves. Some plants, like Boquila trifoliolata, can even mimic the leaves of their surroundings to avoid predation.
Chemical conversations in the forest
Trees and plants release airborne chemicals to warn others of danger. For example, it seems that when acacia trees are grazed upon, they release ethylene gas to signal neighboring trees to produce more tannins, making their leaves less palatable. Forests also communicate through mycorrhizal networks, where fungi connect the roots of different plants, allowing them to exchange nutrients and information.
Picking up vibrations
Many plants can detect vibrations in their environment, such as the sound of insects chewing on leaves or the footsteps of approaching animals. Some plants, like Mimosa pudica, can even respond to touch by folding their leaves—a defense mechanism against herbivores.
Plants have a form of memory
Research shows that plants can “remember” environmental stressors. The Mimosa pudica, a plant that folds its leaves when touched, can learn to stop reacting to harmless stimuli over time—suggesting a primitive form of memory.
Personal Reflection
While plant intelligence is a controversial topic, it is in my opinion even more controversial to assume that plants are passive organisms. I think Schlanger did a fantastic job at introducing the complexity and sensory life of plants. This ties beautifully into “An Immense World” by Ed Yong, which does this for animals and creates an awareness and understanding for non-human perspectives. Similarly, the idea of an umwelt by Jakob von Uexküll, which is the idea that every organism has its own subjective reality based on its perceptions and sensory world, is a fascinating concept to think about.
Related Books
- Planta Sapiens - Deeper theoretical exploration of plant intelligence
- Good Nature - Nature’s impact on human well-being
- An Immense World - Extends the Umwelt concept: if animals perceive hidden realms, plant senses suggest plants do too
Parent: Books