Animals Respond to Plant Sounds, Revealing Hidden Ecosystem

Research from **Tel Aviv University** has unveiled that animals, specifically female moths, respond to sounds made by plants, indicating a previously unknown level of interaction between these organisms. The study highlights how these moths avoid laying their eggs on tomato plants that emit distress signals, potentially linked to the plants’ health.

This groundbreaking research, published in the journal **eLife** in March 2024, builds on previous findings by the same team, which demonstrated that plants produce sounds when they are under stress. These sounds, although inaudible to humans, can be detected by various species, including insects, bats, and some mammals.

Prof Yossi Yovel, a key researcher in this study, stated, “This is the first demonstration ever of an animal responding to sounds produced by a plant.” He emphasized that while this is still speculative, it suggests that animals might make crucial decisions based on the auditory signals from plants, such as choosing whether to pollinate or seek shelter.

Experiment Details and Findings

In a series of meticulously controlled experiments, the researchers ensured that the moths’ responses were strictly due to the sounds and not the visual characteristics of the plants. The findings revealed that when tomato plants emitted sounds indicative of distress, the moths refrained from laying their eggs, which they typically do on healthy plants.

The team is now poised to explore the sounds produced by various plant species and whether other animals also react to these auditory cues, potentially informing their behaviors regarding feeding, pollination, or habitat selection.

Prof Yovel further noted, “You can think that there could be many complicated interactions, and this is the first step.” This line of inquiry opens the door to understanding the complex relationships within ecosystems.

Implications for Plant Communication

Another intriguing aspect of the study involves the potential for plants to communicate with each other through sound. According to **Prof Lilach Hadany**, also from Tel Aviv University, this raises exciting questions about how plants might respond to stress signals from their counterparts, particularly in adverse conditions like drought.

“If a plant is stressed, the organism most concerned about it is other plants,” she explained in a statement. “They can respond in many ways.” While the researchers clarify that plants are not sentient beings, the sounds they produce are a result of physical changes in their environment.

The implications of this research suggest that if plants and animals can indeed communicate through sound, it could signify a co-evolutionary process where plants adapt to produce beneficial sounds while animals evolve to interpret these signals effectively. Prof Hadany remarked, “This is a vast, unexplored field—an entire world waiting to be discovered.”

This study marks a significant advancement in our understanding of ecological interactions. As scientists continue to investigate these phenomena, the intricate web of life that connects animals and plants may become clearer, revealing how they depend on one another in ways previously unrecognized.