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Marder M, Geremia Parise A. Extending cognition: a vegetal rejoinder to extensionless thought and to extended cognition. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2024; 19:2345984. [PMID: 38654490 PMCID: PMC11057674 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2024.2345984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
In this paper, we propose a crucial supplement to the framework of plant cognition, namely extending cognition. We argue that plants and other organisms with an open-ended body plan actively extend their cognition when growing tissues or organs. Their cognition expands with their body expansion. After considering the defining features of extending cognition, we present a model where growth, along with aspects of plant physiology (e.g. biochemical exudates), as well as the "negative extension" of growing away from obstacles or stressful environments, are the building blocks for a more refined understanding of plant cognition. We conclude by outlining the general implications of the theory of extending cognition and indicating directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Marder
- Department of Philosophy, University of the Basque Country, UPV-EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
- Philosophy, Ikerbasque: Basque Foundation for Science, Vitoria, Spain
| | - André Geremia Parise
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, UK
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2
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Minorsky PV. The "plant neurobiology" revolution. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2024; 19:2345413. [PMID: 38709727 PMCID: PMC11085955 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2024.2345413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The 21st-century "plant neurobiology" movement is an amalgam of scholars interested in how "neural processes", broadly defined, lead to changes in plant behavior. Integral to the movement (now called plant behavioral biology) is a triad of historically marginalized subdisciplines, namely plant ethology, whole plant electrophysiology and plant comparative psychology, that set plant neurobiology apart from the mainstream. A central tenet held by these "triad disciplines" is that plants are exquisitely sensitive to environmental perturbations and that destructive experimental manipulations rapidly and profoundly affect plant function. Since destructive measurements have been the norm in plant physiology, much of our "textbook knowledge" concerning plant physiology is unrelated to normal plant function. As such, scientists in the triad disciplines favor a more natural and holistic approach toward understanding plant function. By examining the history, philosophy, sociology and psychology of the triad disciplines, this paper refutes in eight ways the criticism that plant neurobiology presents nothing new, and that the topics of plant neurobiology fall squarely under the purview of mainstream plant physiology. It is argued that although the triad disciplines and mainstream plant physiology share the common goal of understanding plant function, they are distinct in having their own intellectual histories and epistemologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter V. Minorsky
- Department of Natural Sciences, Mercy University, Dobbs Ferry, NY, USA
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3
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Ponkshe A, Blancas Barroso J, Abramson CI, Calvo P. A case study of learning in plants: Lessons learned from pea plants. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2024; 77:1272-1280. [PMID: 37705453 DOI: 10.1177/17470218231203078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
To facilitate the study of learning in plants, we share our experiences of trying to replicate the pea plant experiment of Gagliano et al. In the course of our efforts, we identified 11 issues that must be addressed when attempting to replicate these experiments. The issues range from germination and transplantation of seedlings to experimental design and apparatus issues. We propose a number of solutions to overcome these hurdles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Ponkshe
- Minimal Intelligence Laboratory (MINTLab), Minimal Intelligence Laboratory, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Jacobo Blancas Barroso
- Minimal Intelligence Laboratory (MINTLab), Minimal Intelligence Laboratory, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Charles I Abramson
- Laboratory of Comparative Psychology and Behavioral Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Paco Calvo
- Minimal Intelligence Laboratory (MINTLab), Minimal Intelligence Laboratory, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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4
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Cosca CM, Haggard JA, Kato HM, Sklavenitis EM, Blumstein DT. Do environmental stimuli modify sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica L.) risk assessment? PLoS One 2023; 18:e0294971. [PMID: 38127910 PMCID: PMC10734946 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Although plants and animals both assess their environment and respond to stimuli, this reaction is considered a behavior in animals and a response in plants. Responses in plants are seen within various timescales- from the nanosecond stimuli is presented to a lifelong progression. Within this study, we bridge the gap between animal behavioral studies and plant response. Sensitive plants (Mimosa pudica L.) are an ideal subject for this due to the rapid closure of their primary leaflets when touched. We designed a multimodal, or stress combination, experiment to test two hypotheses with sensitive plants: if they could be distracted and if they would alter their risk assessment when exposed to external stimuli (wind and sound). To evaluate the distraction hypothesis, we measured an individual's latency to close, hypothesizing that if the plants were distracted, they would take longer to close. To evaluate the uncertain risk hypothesis, we quantified the latency to reopen, hypothesizing that if the plants were uncertain, they would take longer to reopen. We also quantified the number of pinnae closed on the selected stem to test for changes in risk assessment across treatments. We expected the unimodal treatments would distract or alter risk assessment, and the multimodal treatment would elicit an enhanced response. Multimodal stimuli had a significant effect on the number of pinnae closed before the tap, but we found no evidence that plants were distracted by any stimulus tested. We found that temperature had a significant effect on the latency to close, and that plants modified their risk assessment when exposed to experimental wind stimuli. By manipulating environmental stimuli, we found that sensitive plants trade-off energy and perceived risk much in the way that is commonly found in animals. Framing the study of plants' responses to environmental stimuli as behavioral questions may generate new insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte M. Cosca
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Justin A. Haggard
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Halli M. Kato
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Eleni M. Sklavenitis
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Daniel T. Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
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5
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Demey ML, Mishra RC, Van Der Straeten D. Sound perception in plants: from ecological significance to molecular understanding. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 28:825-840. [PMID: 37002001 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2023.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In addition to positive effects on plant growth and resilience, sound alerts plants of potential danger and aids in defense. Sound guides plants towards essential resources, like water, through phonotropic root growth. Sound also facilitates mutualistic interactions such as buzz pollination. Molecularly, sound induces Ca2+ signatures, K+ fluxes, and an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in a mechanosensitive ion channel-dependent fashion. We review the two major open questions in the field of plant acoustics: (i) what is the ecological relevance of sound in plant life, and (ii) how is sound sensed and transduced to evoke a morphophysiological response? We highlight the clear need to combine the ecological and molecular perspectives for a more holistic approach to better understand plant behavior.
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6
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Abramson CI. Why the study of comparative psychology is important to neuroscientists. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 16:1095033. [PMID: 36703719 PMCID: PMC9872648 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1095033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this contribution is threefold. First, is to acquaint neuroscientists with the area of psychology known as comparative psychology. Comparative psychology is the oldest of the organized social sciences with the term appearing as early as 1808. Many of the myriad issues of experimental design routinely faced by comparative psychologists are directly applicable to neuroscience. These issues include consistent definitions of psychological phenomena, the use of Morgan's canon to reduce unbridled anthropomorphism, and observation oriented modeling as a new statistical procedure to increase replication. Second, is a discussion of early comparative methods that may be of value to contemporary neuroscientists. Third, how the comparative approach can help the neuroscientist limit unfounded generalizations across species and develop more animal-friendly behavioral testing options tailored for the species or strain of interest. The articles closes with some recommendations on how comparative psychologists and neuroscientists can work more closely together.
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Hanief Abdurrahman B, Irmansyah I, Ahmad F. Electronic thygmonasty model in Mimosa pudicabiomimetic robot. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2022; 18:016001. [PMID: 36301693 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ac9d7a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Direct contact of random objects from the open environment to the panel surface of an electronic device may reduce the work efficiency and cause permanent damage. However, there is a possible way to solve this problem, notably by implementing an adaptive structure design inspired by plants. TheMimosa pudicaplant provides several interesting information on its adaptability. Various studies have been conducted on the electrical properties of its organs explaining the phytoactuator and phytosensor cells that function within it. We combined the use of sensors, actuators, and synthetic excitable tissue as the first robot model purposed to mimic the behavior of theM. pudicaplant. The Computer vision method was used to measure leaf angular movement and collected it as plant behavior data based on the mechanical stimulus experiment. The Robot structure has eight arms equipped with sensors, servo motors, and microcontrollers that are operated with two activation system models approach. The first model could imitate the stimulus process received by electronic circuits that generate action potential signals with a maximum voltage of 4.71-5.02 V and a minimum voltage of -5.33 to -3.45 V that propagated from node to node. The second model involves a trained artificial neural network model with a supervised learning pattern that provides 100% accuracy when choosing movement output based on the given combination. This robot imitates theM. pudica's intelligent sensing capabilities and its ability to change the structure shape based on the thygmonasty experiments data which could provide an overview of how plants process information and perform hazard avoidance actions efficiently. Future applications for the technology inspired by the plant's self-defense mechanisms are adaptive intelligent structures that can protect against harmful conditions, particle contamination, and adjusting panel structure to search for desired environmental parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Irmansyah Irmansyah
- Applied Physics Division, Department of Physics, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Faozan Ahmad
- Theoretical Physics Division, Department of Physics, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
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8
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Mason GJ, Lavery JM. What Is It Like to Be a Bass? Red Herrings, Fish Pain and the Study of Animal Sentience. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:788289. [PMID: 35573409 PMCID: PMC9094623 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.788289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Debates around fishes' ability to feel pain concern sentience: do reactions to tissue damage indicate evaluative consciousness (conscious affect), or mere nociception? Thanks to Braithwaite's discovery of trout nociceptors, and concerns that current practices could compromise welfare in countless fish, this issue's importance is beyond dispute. However, nociceptors are merely necessary, not sufficient, for true pain, and many measures held to indicate sentience have the same problem. The question of whether fish feel pain - or indeed anything at all - therefore stimulates sometimes polarized debate. Here, we try to bridge the divide. After reviewing key consciousness concepts, we identify "red herring" measures that should not be used to infer sentience because also present in non-sentient organisms, notably those lacking nervous systems, like plants and protozoa (P); spines disconnected from brains (S); decerebrate mammals and birds (D); and humans in unaware states (U). These "S.P.U.D. subjects" can show approach/withdrawal; react with apparent emotion; change their reactivity with food deprivation or analgesia; discriminate between stimuli; display Pavlovian learning, including some forms of trace conditioning; and even learn simple instrumental responses. Consequently, none of these responses are good indicators of sentience. Potentially more valid are aspects of working memory, operant conditioning, the self-report of state, and forms of higher order cognition. We suggest new experiments on humans to test these hypotheses, as well as modifications to tests for "mental time travel" and self-awareness (e.g., mirror self-recognition) that could allow these to now probe sentience (since currently they reflect perceptual rather than evaluative, affective aspects of consciousness). Because "bullet-proof" neurological and behavioral indicators of sentience are thus still lacking, agnosticism about fish sentience remains widespread. To end, we address how to balance such doubts with welfare protection, discussing concerns raised by key skeptics in this debate. Overall, we celebrate the rigorous evidential standards required by those unconvinced that fish are sentient; laud the compassion and ethical rigor shown by those advocating for welfare protections; and seek to show how precautionary principles still support protecting fish from physical harm.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. J. Mason
- Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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9
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Abramson CI, Levin M. Behaviorist approaches to investigating memory and learning: A primer for synthetic biology and bioengineering. Commun Integr Biol 2021; 14:230-247. [PMID: 34925687 PMCID: PMC8677006 DOI: 10.1080/19420889.2021.2005863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The fields of developmental biology, biomedicine, and artificial life are being revolutionized by advances in synthetic morphology. The next phase of synthetic biology and bioengineering is resulting in the construction of novel organisms (biobots), which exhibit not only morphogenesis and physiology but functional behavior. It is now essential to begin to characterize the behavioral capacity of novel living constructs in terms of their ability to make decisions, form memories, learn from experience, and anticipate future stimuli. These synthetic organisms are highly diverse, and often do not resemble familiar model systems used in behavioral science. Thus, they represent an important context in which to begin to unify and standardize vocabulary and techniques across developmental biology, behavioral ecology, and neuroscience. To facilitate the study of behavior in novel living systems, we present a primer on techniques from the behaviorist tradition that can be used to probe the functions of any organism – natural, chimeric, or synthetic – regardless of the details of their construction or origin. These techniques provide a rich toolkit for advancing the fields of synthetic bioengineering, evolutionary developmental biology, basal cognition, exobiology, and robotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles I Abramson
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory of Comparative Psychology and Behavioral Biology at Oklahoma State University, United States of America
| | - Michael Levin
- Department of Biology, Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, United States of America
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10
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Stolarz M, Trębacz K. Spontaneous rapid leaf movements and action potentials in Mimosa pudica L. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2021; 173:1882-1888. [PMID: 34423868 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Movements and action potentials of Mimosa pudica L. plants, commonly known for their sensitivity to touch, were measured using time-lapse photography and extracellular electrical potential recording methods in 4-day experiments. In intact plants, spontaneous rapid leaf movements (RLMs) were revealed. The rapid downward movement of the leaf lasted approx. 1 s and the return to the previous position took approx. 17 min. Additionally, spontaneous action potentials (SAPs) with amplitudes of 3-100 mV and half-time of approx. 15 s were observed for the first time in M. pudica. Spontaneous APs propagated basipetally or acropetally with a velocity of 3-75 cm min-1 . 36% of SAPs passing along the shoots were accompanied by RLMs. There was a delay between the appearance of SAP and RLM, indicating that SAPs may trigger the RLMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Stolarz
- Department of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland
| | - Kazimierz Trębacz
- Department of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland
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11
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Tran D, Petitjean H, Chebli Y, Geitmann A, Sharif-Naeini R. Mechanosensitive ion channels contribute to mechanically evoked rapid leaflet movement in Mimosa pudica. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 187:1704-1712. [PMID: 34734277 PMCID: PMC8566232 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Mechanoperception, the ability to perceive and respond to mechanical stimuli, is a common and fundamental property of all forms of life. Vascular plants such as Mimosa pudica use this function to protect themselves against herbivory. The mechanical stimulus caused by a landing insect triggers a rapid closing of the leaflets that drives the potential pest away. While this thigmonastic movement is caused by ion fluxes accompanied by a rapid change of volume in the pulvini, the mechanism responsible for the detection of the mechanical stimulus remains poorly understood. Here, we examined the role of mechanosensitive ion channels in the first step of this evolutionarily conserved defense mechanism: the mechanically evoked closing of the leaflet. Our results demonstrate that the key site of mechanosensation in the Mimosa leaflets is the pulvinule, which expresses a stretch-activated chloride-permeable mechanosensitive ion channel. Blocking these channels partially prevents the closure of the leaflets following mechanical stimulation. These results demonstrate a direct relation between the activity of mechanosensitive ion channels and a central defense mechanism of M. pudica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Tran
- Department of Physiology and Cell Information Systems, McGill University, Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, Québec, Canada H3G0B1
| | - Hugues Petitjean
- Department of Physiology and Cell Information Systems, McGill University, Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, Québec, Canada H3G0B1
| | - Youssef Chebli
- Department of Plant Science, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada H9X3V9
| | - Anja Geitmann
- Department of Plant Science, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada H9X3V9
| | - Reza Sharif-Naeini
- Department of Physiology and Cell Information Systems, McGill University, Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, Québec, Canada H3G0B1
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12
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Hunter K. Folding under pressure: mechanosensitive ion channels and the Mimosa leaflet closure response. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 187:1276-1277. [PMID: 34734283 PMCID: PMC8566270 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kerri Hunter
- Viikki Plant Science Centre, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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13
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Reyes-Jiménez D, Iglesias-Parro S, Abad MJF, Paredes-Olay C. Effects of pre-exposure and post-exposure of the context in habituation of the retraction response in earthworms (Lumbricidae). Behav Processes 2021; 193:104527. [PMID: 34601052 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The context specificity of habituation has been demonstrated in earthworms. After the habituation of the retraction response to a light, a recovery of the response was observed when subjects are re-habituated in a different context. Some theories assume that an association between the context and the unconditioned stimulus could underlie this result. A series of experiments were conducted in order to test this issue. We assessed the potential disruptive effects of post-exposure (extinction effect) and pre-exposure of the context (latent inhibition effect) on the establishment of a context-US association. A recovery of response during subsequent rehabituation test was expected. The results of Experiment 1 showed that the extinction was effective, the post-exposure of the context after habituation produced a recovery of the retraction response. This result was replicated in Experiment 2 where the post-exposure condition was compared with a pre-exposure one. However, the pre-exposure to the context did not result in a recovery of the response in the rehabituation test, but also produced a general decrement on the response during the habituation training, that it has been interpreted as decrement in context's salience. In summary, these results suggest the involvement of associative and nonassociative processes in habituation learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Reyes-Jiménez
- Department of Psychology, Universidad de Jaén, Paraje las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain.
| | - Sergio Iglesias-Parro
- Department of Psychology, Universidad de Jaén, Paraje las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain.
| | - María J F Abad
- Department of Psychology, Universidad de Jaén, Paraje las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain.
| | - Concepción Paredes-Olay
- Department of Psychology, Universidad de Jaén, Paraje las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain.
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14
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Segundo-Ortin M, Calvo P. Consciousness and cognition in plants. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2021; 13:e1578. [PMID: 34558231 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Unlike animal behavior, behavior in plants is traditionally assumed to be completely determined either genetically or environmentally. Under this assumption, plants are usually considered to be noncognitive organisms. This view nonetheless clashes with a growing body of empirical research that shows that many sophisticated cognitive capabilities traditionally assumed to be exclusive to animals are exhibited by plants too. Yet, if plants can be considered cognitive, even in a minimal sense, can they also be considered conscious? Some authors defend that the quest for plant consciousness is worth pursuing, under the premise that sentience can play a role in facilitating plant's sophisticated behavior. The goal of this article is not to provide a positive argument for plant cognition and consciousness, but to invite a constructive, empirically informed debate about it. After reviewing the empirical literature concerning plant cognition, we introduce the reader to the emerging field of plant neurobiology. Research on plant electrical and chemical signaling can help shed light into the biological bases for plant sentience. To conclude, we shall present a series of approaches to scientifically investigate plant consciousness. In sum, we invite the reader to consider the idea that if consciousness boils down to some form of biological adaptation, we should not exclude a priori the possibility that plants have evolved their own phenomenal experience of the world. This article is categorized under: Cognitive Biology > Evolutionary Roots of Cognition Philosophy > Consciousness Neuroscience > Cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Segundo-Ortin
- Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Paco Calvo
- Minimal Intelligence Laboratory, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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15
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Dussutour A. Learning in single cell organisms. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 564:92-102. [PMID: 33632547 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The survival of all species requires appropriate behavioral responses to environmental challenges. Learning is one of the key processes to acquire information about the environment and adapt to changing and uncertain conditions. Learning has long been acknowledged in animals from invertebrates to vertebrates but remains a subject of debate in non-animal systems such a plants and single cell organisms. In this review I will attempt to answer the following question: are single cell organisms capable of learning? I will first briefly discuss the concept of learning and argue that the ability to acquire and store information through learning is pervasive and may be found in single cell organisms. Second, by focusing on habituation, the simplest form of learning, I will review a series of experiments showing that single cell organisms such as slime molds and ciliates display habituation and follow most of the criteria adopted by neuroscientists to define habituation. Then I will discuss disputed evidence suggesting that single cell organisms might also undergo more sophisticated forms of learning such as associative learning. Finally, I will stress out that the challenge for the future is less about whether or not to single cell organisms fulfill the definition of learning established from extensive studies in animal systems and more about acknowledging and understanding the range of behavioral plasticity exhibited by such fascinating organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Dussutour
- Research Centre on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), Toulouse University, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, 31062, AD, France.
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16
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Mertens D, Boege K, Kessler A, Koricheva J, Thaler JS, Whiteman NK, Poelman EH. Predictability of Biotic Stress Structures Plant Defence Evolution. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:444-456. [PMID: 33468354 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
To achieve ecological and reproductive success, plants need to mitigate a multitude of stressors. The stressors encountered by plants are highly dynamic but typically vary predictably due to seasonality or correlations among stressors. As plants face physiological and ecological constraints in responses to stress, it can be beneficial for plants to evolve the ability to incorporate predictable patterns of stress in their life histories. Here, we discuss how plants predict adverse conditions, which plant strategies integrate predictability of biotic stress, and how such strategies can evolve. We propose that plants commonly optimise responses to correlated sequences or combinations of herbivores and pathogens, and that the predictability of these patterns is a key factor governing plant strategies in dynamic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daan Mertens
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Karina Boege
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Apartado Postal 70-275, Coyoacán, C.P. 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - André Kessler
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Julia Koricheva
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
| | | | - Noah K Whiteman
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Erik H Poelman
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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17
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Abstract
Meaning has traditionally been regarded as a problem for philosophers and psychologists. Advances in cognitive science since the early 1960s, however, broadened discussions of meaning, or more technically, the semantics of perceptions, representations, and/or actions, into biology and computer science. Here, we review the notion of “meaning” as it applies to living systems, and argue that the question of how living systems create meaning unifies the biological and cognitive sciences across both organizational and temporal scales.
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Kumar A, Memo M, Mastinu A. Plant behaviour: an evolutionary response to the environment? PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2020; 22:961-970. [PMID: 32557960 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Kumar
- Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - M Memo
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - A Mastinu
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
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19
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Szabo B, Noble DWA, Whiting MJ. Learning in non-avian reptiles 40 years on: advances and promising new directions. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 96:331-356. [PMID: 33073470 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Recently, there has been a surge in cognition research using non-avian reptile systems. As a diverse group of animals, non-avian reptiles [turtles, the tuatara, crocodylians, and squamates (lizards, snakes and amphisbaenids)] are good model systems for answering questions related to cognitive ecology, from the role of the environment on the brain, behaviour and learning, to how social and life-history factors correlate with learning ability. Furthermore, given their variable social structure and degree of sociality, studies on reptiles have shown that group living is not a pre-condition for social learning. Past research has demonstrated that non-avian reptiles are capable of more than just instinctive reactions and basic cognition. Despite their ability to provide answers to fundamental questions in cognitive ecology, and a growing literature, there have been no recent systematic syntheses of research in this group. Here, we systematically, and comprehensively review studies on reptile learning. We identify 92 new studies investigating learning in reptiles not included in previous reviews on this topic - affording a unique opportunity to provide a more in-depth synthesis of existing work, its taxonomic distribution, the types of cognitive domains tested and methodologies that have been used. Our review therefore provides a major update on our current state of knowledge and ties the collective evidence together under nine umbrella research areas: (i) habituation of behaviour, (ii) animal training through conditioning, (iii) avoiding aversive stimuli, (iv) spatial learning and memory, (v) learning during foraging, (vi) quality and quantity discrimination, (vii) responding to change, (viii) solving novel problems, and (ix) social learning. Importantly, we identify knowledge gaps and propose themes which offer important future research opportunities including how cognitive ability might influence fitness and survival, testing cognition in ecologically relevant situations, comparing cognition in invasive and non-invasive populations of species, and social learning. To move the field forward, it will be immensely important to build upon the descriptive approach of testing whether a species can learn a task with experimental studies elucidating causal reasons for cognitive variation within and among species. With the appropriate methodology, this young but rapidly growing field of research should advance greatly in the coming years providing significant opportunities for addressing general questions in cognitive ecology and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgit Szabo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia.,Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, Bern, 3032, Switzerland
| | - Daniel W A Noble
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Martin J Whiting
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
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20
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Plant Complexity and Cosmetic Innovation. iScience 2020; 23:101358. [PMID: 32738608 PMCID: PMC7394851 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants have been used in cosmetic products since ancient times and are the subject of scientific investigation even nowadays. During the years, a deeper understanding of both the behavior of skin and of plants have become available drawing increasingly complex pictures. Plants are complex organisms that produce different metabolites responding to the environment they live in. Applied to the skin, phytomolecules interact with skin cells and affect the skin well-being and appearance. Ethnobotanical studies on the one hand and physico-chemical analyses on the other have pictured a rich inventory of plants with potential to enrich modern cosmetic products.
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21
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Wang Y, Li H. Bio-chemo-electro-mechanical modelling of the rapid movement of Mimosa pudica. Bioelectrochemistry 2020; 134:107533. [PMID: 32380450 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2020.107533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
A remarkable feature of Mimosa pudica is its ability to deform in response to certain external stimuli. Here, a two-dimensional transient bio-chemo-electro-mechanical model of the rapid movement of the main pulvinus of Mimosa pudica is developed. Based on the laws of mass and momentum conservation, poroelasticity, and representative volume elements, a novel fluid pressure equation is proposed to characterize the cell elasticity. Experiments were conducted to measure the time and amplitude of the rapid movement. After examinations with the published experiments, it is confirmed that the model can predict well the ionic concentrations, petiole bending angle, and membrane potential. The simulation analysis of the biophysical properties provides insights to biomechanics: the hydrostatic pressure in the lowest extensor decreases from 0.35 to 0.05 MPa at t = 0.00 to 3.00 s; fluid pressure increases from 0.00 to 0.11 MPa at t = 0.00 to 0.14 s; and the peak bending angle increases from 57.0° to 70.9° when the reflection coefficient is assigned as 0.10 to 0.20 in the model. The results highlight the biochemical actuation mechanism of the Mimosa pudica movement, and they confirm the importance of ionic and water transports for causing changes in osmotic and hydrostatic pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifeng Wang
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Republic of Singapore
| | - Hua Li
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Republic of Singapore.
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22
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23
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Taiz L, Alkon D, Draguhn A, Murphy A, Blatt M, Hawes C, Thiel G, Robinson DG. Plants Neither Possess nor Require Consciousness. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 24:677-687. [PMID: 31279732 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2019.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
In claiming that plants have consciousness, 'plant neurobiologists' have consistently glossed over the remarkable degree of structural and functional complexity that the brain had to evolve for consciousness to emerge. Here, we outline a new hypothesis proposed by Feinberg and Mallat for the evolution of consciousness in animals. Based on a survey of the brain anatomy, functional complexity, and behaviors of a broad spectrum of animals, criteria were established for the emergence of consciousness. The only animals that satisfied these criteria were the vertebrates (including fish), arthropods (e.g., insects, crabs), and cephalopods (e.g., octopuses, squids). In light of Feinberg and Mallat's analysis, we consider the likelihood that plants, with their relative organizational simplicity and lack of neurons and brains, have consciousness to be effectively nil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lincoln Taiz
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.
| | - Daniel Alkon
- Neurotrope, Inc., 1185 Avenue of the Americas, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10036, USA
| | - Andreas Draguhn
- Institut für Physiologie und Pathophysiologie, Medizinische Fakultät Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 326, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Angus Murphy
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, 2104 Plant Sciences Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Michael Blatt
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, Bower Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Chris Hawes
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Gerhard Thiel
- Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstraße 3, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - David G Robinson
- Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Dixon MM, Hulgard K, Ratcliffe JM, Page RA. Habituation and ecological salience: insights into the foraging ecology of the fringed-lipped bat, Trachops cirrhosus. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2700-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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25
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Manicka S, Levin M. The Cognitive Lens: a primer on conceptual tools for analysing information processing in developmental and regenerative morphogenesis. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20180369. [PMID: 31006373 PMCID: PMC6553590 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Brains exhibit plasticity, multi-scale integration of information, computation and memory, having evolved by specialization of non-neural cells that already possessed many of the same molecular components and functions. The emerging field of basal cognition provides many examples of decision-making throughout a wide range of non-neural systems. How can biological information processing across scales of size and complexity be quantitatively characterized and exploited in biomedical settings? We use pattern regulation as a context in which to introduce the Cognitive Lens-a strategy using well-established concepts from cognitive and computer science to complement mechanistic investigation in biology. To facilitate the assimilation and application of these approaches across biology, we review tools from various quantitative disciplines, including dynamical systems, information theory and least-action principles. We propose that these tools can be extended beyond neural settings to predict and control systems-level outcomes, and to understand biological patterning as a form of primitive cognition. We hypothesize that a cognitive-level information-processing view of the functions of living systems can complement reductive perspectives, improving efficient top-down control of organism-level outcomes. Exploration of the deep parallels across diverse quantitative paradigms will drive integrative advances in evolutionary biology, regenerative medicine, synthetic bioengineering, cognitive neuroscience and artificial intelligence. This article is part of the theme issue 'Liquid brains, solid brains: How distributed cognitive architectures process information'.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael Levin
- Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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Segundo-Ortin M, Calvo P. Are plants cognitive? A reply to Adams. STUDIES IN HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE 2019; 73:64-71. [PMID: 30914125 DOI: 10.1016/j.shpsa.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
According to F. Adams [this journal, vol. 68, 2018] cognition cannot be realized in plants or bacteria. In his view, plants and bacteria respond to the here-and-now in a hardwired, inflexible manner, and are therefore incapable of cognitive activity. This article takes issue with the pursuit of plant cognition from the perspective of an empirically informed philosophy of plant neurobiology. As we argue, empirical evidence shows, contra Adams, that plant behavior is in many ways analogous to animal behavior. This renders plants suitable to be described as cognitive agents in a non-metaphorical way. Sections two to four review the arguments offered by Adams in light of scientific evidence on plant adaptive behavior, decision-making, anticipation, as well as learning and memory. Section five introduces the 'phyto-nervous' system of plants. To conclude, section six resituates the quest for plant cognition into a broader approach in cognitive science, as represented by enactive and ecological schools of thought. Overall, we aim to motivate the idea that plants may be considered genuine cognitive agents. Our hope is to help propel public awareness and discussion of plant intelligence once appropriately stripped of anthropocentric preconceptions of the sort that Adams' position appears to exemplify.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paco Calvo
- Minimal Intelligence Lab (MINT Lab), Universidad de Murcia, Spain.
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27
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Michmizos D, Hilioti Z. A roadmap towards a functional paradigm for learning & memory in plants. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 232:209-215. [PMID: 30537608 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2018.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In plants, the acquisition, processing and storage of empirical information can result in the modification of their behavior according to the nature of the stimulus, and yet this area of research remained relatively understudied until recently. As the body of evidence supporting the inclusion of plants among the higher organisms demonstrating the adaptations to accomplish these tasks keeps increasing, the resistance by traditional botanists and agricultural scientists, who were at first cautious in allowing the application of animal models onto plant physiology and development, subsides. However, the debate retains much of its heat, a good part of it originating from the controversial use of nervous system terms to describe plant processes. By focusing on the latest findings on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the well established processes of Learning and Memory, recognizing what has been accomplished and what remains to be explored, and without seeking to bootstrap neuronal characteristics where none are to be found, a roadmap guiding towards a comprehensive paradigm for Learning and Memory in plants begins to emerge. Meanwhile the applications of the new field of Plant Gnosophysiology look as promising as ever.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Michmizos
- Dept. of Agriculture, Crop Production & Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Fytokos st, Volos, Magnesia, 384 46, Greece.
| | - Zoe Hilioti
- Institute of Applied Biosciences, Center for Research & Technology (CERTH), Thessaloniki, Greece
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28
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Abstract
Despite considerable research on the responses of plants to stimuli and a recent surge of interest in "plant intelligence," few studies have been conducted on classical or respondent conditioning in plants. Studies of respondent conditioning in plants were reviewed, the majority of which used the sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica) as the subjects with seismonastic responses (leaflet-folding and leaf-drooping) as the unconditioned responses, and all of which used group designs. The reported results are mixed, with no replications of positive results. Issues have been noted with the methodology of these studies, including the lack of within-subject demonstrations, choice of putative conditioned stimuli, and potential unplanned interactions between subjects across experimental groups. Recommendations are made for addressing these issues in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry E. Adelman
- The Arc of Indian River County, 1375 16th Avenue, Vero Beach, FL 32960 USA
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29
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Abramson CI, Wells H. An Inconvenient Truth: Some Neglected Issues in Invertebrate Learning. Perspect Behav Sci 2018; 41:395-416. [PMID: 31976402 PMCID: PMC6701716 DOI: 10.1007/s40614-018-00178-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The burgeoning field of invertebrate behavior is moving into what was the realm of human psychology concepts. This invites comparative studies not only between invertebrate and vertebrate species but also among the diverse taxa within the invertebrates, diverse even when considering only the insects. In order to make lasting progress two issues must be addressed. The first is inconsistent use of fundamental terms defining learning. The second is a focus on similarities, giving little attention to dissimilarities. In addition, much work is needed on whether behavioral similarities are grounded in the same neuronal architecture when considering disparate phyla. These concerns identify are "inconvenient truths" that weaken comparative behavioral analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles I. Abramson
- Laboratory of Comparative Psychology and Behavioral Biology, Oklahoma State University, 116 N. Murray, Stillwater, OK 74078 USA
| | - Harrington Wells
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK 74021 USA
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30
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Towards Systemic View for Plant Learning: Ecophysiological Perspective. MEMORY AND LEARNING IN PLANTS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-75596-0_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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31
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Plants learn and remember: lets get used to it. Oecologia 2017; 186:29-31. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-4029-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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32
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van Duijn M. Phylogenetic origins of biological cognition: convergent patterns in the early evolution of learning. Interface Focus 2017; 7:20160158. [PMID: 28479986 PMCID: PMC5413897 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2016.0158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Various forms of elementary learning have recently been discovered in organisms lacking a nervous system, such as protists, fungi and plants. This finding has fundamental implications for how we view the role of convergent evolution in biological cognition. In this article, I first review the evidence for basic forms of learning in aneural organisms, focusing particularly on habituation and classical conditioning and considering the plausibility for convergent evolution of these capacities. Next, I examine the possible role of convergent evolution regarding these basic learning abilities during the early evolution of nervous systems. The evolution of nervous systems set the stage for at least two major events relevant to convergent evolution that are central to biological cognition: (i) nervous systems evolved, perhaps more than once, because of strong selection pressures for sustaining sensorimotor strategies in increasingly larger multicellular organisms and (ii) associative learning was a subsequent adaptation that evolved multiple times within the neuralia. Although convergent evolution of basic forms of learning among distantly related organisms such as protists, plants and neuralia is highly plausible, more research is needed to verify whether these forms of learning within the neuralia arose through convergent or parallel evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc van Duijn
- Faculty of Arts, Culture and Cognition, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Oude Boteringestraat 34, Groningen, The Netherlands
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33
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Calvo P, Friston K. Predicting green: really radical (plant) predictive processing. J R Soc Interface 2017; 14:20170096. [PMID: 28637913 PMCID: PMC5493793 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2017.0096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this article we account for the way plants respond to salient features of their environment under the free-energy principle for biological systems. Biological self-organization amounts to the minimization of surprise over time. We posit that any self-organizing system must embody a generative model whose predictions ensure that (expected) free energy is minimized through action. Plants respond in a fast, and yet coordinated manner, to environmental contingencies. They pro-actively sample their local environment to elicit information with an adaptive value. Our main thesis is that plant behaviour takes place by way of a process (active inference) that predicts the environmental sources of sensory stimulation. This principle, we argue, endows plants with a form of perception that underwrites purposeful, anticipatory behaviour. The aim of the article is to assess the prospects of a radical predictive processing story that would follow naturally from the free-energy principle for biological systems; an approach that may ultimately bear upon our understanding of life and cognition more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paco Calvo
- EIDYN Research Centre, and Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- MINT Lab, Departamento de Filosofía, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Karl Friston
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology UCL, 12 Queen Square, London, UK
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Ojalehto BL, Medin DL, García SG. Conceptualizing agency: Folkpsychological and folkcommunicative perspectives on plants. Cognition 2017; 162:103-123. [PMID: 28219035 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2017.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Revised: 01/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The present research addresses cultural variation in concepts of agency. Across two experiments, we investigate how Indigenous Ngöbe of Panama and US college students interpret and make inferences about nonhuman agency, focusing on plants as a critical test case. In Experiment 1, participants predicted goal-directed actions for plants and other nonhuman kinds and judged their capacities for intentional agency. Goal-directed action is pervasive among living kinds and as such we expected cultural agreement on these predictions. However, we expected that interpretation of the capacities involved would differ based on cultural folktheories. As expected, Ngöbe and US participants both inferred that plants would engage in goal-directed action but Ngöbe were more likely to attribute intentional agency capacities to plants. Experiment 2 extends these findings by investigating action predictions and capacity attributions linked to complex forms of plant social agency recently discovered in botanical sciences (communication, kin altruism). We hypothesized that the Ngöbe view of plants as active agents would productively guide inferences for plant social interaction. Indeed, Ngöbe were more likely than US participants to infer that plants can engage in social behaviors and they also attributed more social agency capacities to plants. We consolidate these findings by using bottom-up consensus modeling to show that these cultural differences reflect two distinct conceptual models of agency rather than variations on a single (universal) model. We consider these findings in light of current theories of domain-specificity and animism, and offer an alternative account based on a folktheory of communication that infers agency on the basis of relational interactions rather than having a mind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany L Ojalehto
- Psychology Department, Northwestern University, 2029 Sheridan Road - 102 Swift Hall, Evanston, IL 60208-2710, United States.
| | - Douglas L Medin
- Psychology Department, Northwestern University, 2029 Sheridan Road - 102 Swift Hall, Evanston, IL 60208-2710, United States
| | - Salino G García
- Ngöbe Culture and Language Education Program, Bocas del Toro, Panama
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35
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Cvrčková F, Žárský V, Markoš A. Plant Studies May Lead Us to Rethink the Concept of Behavior. Front Psychol 2016; 7:622. [PMID: 27242570 PMCID: PMC4874364 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Cvrčková
- Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Viktor Žárský
- Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anton Markoš
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague Prague, Czech Republic
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