Experiment Rather Than Define

Plants make smart decisions in complex environments

This review proposes that plants make smart decision and encourages scientists to formulate and test hypotheses about plant's decisions as an option to investigate complex phenomena that are hardly explained through the predominant mechanistic approach. Three physiological processes (seed germination and seedling emergence, abortion of reproductive structures, and regulation of photosynthesis) are discussed to illustrate the plant's ability to make decisions from three different perspectives. It is proposed that plant scientists could access a rich pool of information by formulating and testing hypothesis on plant's decisions, even when it is not possible elucidating the full mechanism underpinning the decision. Decisions with a strategic component are discussed for seed germination and seedling emergence, in which the plant depends on limited information for making early decisions that will influence its survival and potential growth. Decisions consistent with an analysis of benefit/cost are illustrated with observations from abortion of reproductive structures. Decisions that search the optimization of complex processes are exemplified with the regulation of photosynthesis. For each type of decision, some draft experiments are suggested as exercise on how this framework could be applied. It is proposed that scientists could make experiments with plant's decisions adapting methods that were developed for other disciplines.

Understanding Plant Behavior: A Student Perspective

Biology students need special incentive to learn plant physiology. Framing plant function as 'behavior' analogous to animal neurobiology and behavior and integrating active learning methods is a successful way to generate an inclusive space for a wide range of learning styles, cultural backgrounds, and scientific contributions.

Anaesthetics and plants: from sensory systems to cognition-based adaptive behaviour

Plants are not only sensitive to exogenous anaesthetics, but they also produce multitudes of endogenous substances, especially when stressed, that often have anaesthetic and anelgesic properties when applied to both humans and animals. Moreover, plants rely on neurotransmitters and their receptors for cell-cell communication and integration in a similar fashion to the use of neural systems in animals and humans. Plants also use their plant-specific sensory systems and neurotransmitter-based communication, including long-distance action potentials, to manage stress via cognition-like plant-specific behaviour and adaptation.