Tomatoes talk, birch trees learn – do plants have dignity? | Florianne Koechlin | TEDxZurich

Summary

The TEDx Zurich talk unveils the astonishing communication skills of plants, highlighting how they use fragrances to warn neighbors of pests and attract beneficial insects. The speaker, an author, explores the complex underground networks of plants and their ability to remember and learn from past events, challenging the traditional view of plants as passive beings. The talk raises questions about the ethics of plant treatment and the potential for a more harmonious agricultural system that respects their social and cognitive abilities.

Takeaways

• 🌿 Plants communicate using fragrances to warn each other of pests and attract beneficial insects.
• 🚫 Female researchers were advised against wearing Chanel No. 5 to avoid confusing the tomato plants with the scent of predators.
• 🔍 Tomato plants can identify the type of predator attacking them by tasting their saliva and produce specific fragrances to attract the appropriate predatory insects.
• 🍎 Apple trees, when attacked by caterpillars, release fragrances to attract birds that can help control the pest population.
• 🌳 All plants communicate with each other using thousands of identified fragrance compounds, indicating a complex vocabulary.
• 🌱 Plants can perceive more than 20 environmental signals, including smell, taste, touch, sight, sound, and electromagnetic waves.
• 🌿 Underground, plants form a vast network called mycorrhiza, facilitating nutrient and information exchange among them.
• 🌳 Some plants, like marigolds, use the mycorrhizal network to release toxins to inhibit the growth of other plants, indicating a competitive aspect of plant communication.
• 📚 Plants can remember past events and learn from them, as demonstrated by the tomato plant's faster and more efficient response to a second attack by caterpillars.
• 🌱 Birch trees have been found to remember events for up to four years, suggesting a form of plant memory.
• 🌱 The Swiss constitution recognizes the dignity of living beings, including plants, which has led to discussions on the ethical treatment of plants and their dignity.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the TEDx Zurich talk?

The main topic of the talk is the communication and networking skills of plants, particularly focusing on the tomato plant and its ability to interact with its environment and other plants.

How does a tomato plant communicate when it is under attack by caterpillars?

When a tomato plant is attacked by caterpillars, it produces leaf toxins and releases a cloud of fragrances, specifically methyl jasmonate, to warn neighboring plants to start their defense mechanisms.

Why were female researchers instructed not to wear Chanel No. 5 during the experiment?

Female researchers were told not to wear Chanel No. 5 because the fragrance contains methyl jasmonate, which could confuse the tomato plants and interfere with the experiment.

How does a tomato plant attract beneficial insects for its defense?

The tomato plant produces different scents, or fragrance cocktails, to attract beneficial insects such as predatory mites or parasitic wasps, depending on the type of attacker it is facing.

How does the tomato plant identify the specific type of insect attacking it?

The tomato plant can identify the type of insect by tasting the saliva of the insect, which allows it to produce the appropriate fragrance to attract the right bodyguard insects.

What is the term used to describe the underground network of roots and fungi?

The term used to describe the underground network of roots and fungi is 'mycorrhiza,' which refers to the association between fungi and plant roots.

What is the 'wood wide web' and how is it related to plant communication?

The 'wood wide web' is a term used to describe the mycorrhizal network that connects trees and plants underground, allowing them to exchange nutrients and information, similar to the way the internet connects people and devices.

How do plants communicate with each other about environmental signals?

Plants can perceive about 20 environmental signals and communicate with each other through the mycorrhizal network, warning each other of danger and coordinating their behavior.

What is the concept of 'plant dignity' as discussed in the Swiss constitution?

The concept of 'plant dignity' in the Swiss constitution refers to the idea that plants have a value of their own, independent of human interests, and should not be harmed in an arbitrary way.

What does the speaker suggest as potential implications of understanding plant communication?

The speaker suggests that understanding plant communication could lead to better agricultural practices, such as using plant fragrances to warn of attacks, boosting plant immune systems, and developing mixed cultures that support plant communication and social context.

Why did the speaker's report on plant dignity win the Ig Nobel Prize?

The speaker's report on plant dignity won the Ig Nobel Prize because it addressed a topic that was considered peculiar and thought-provoking, leading to laughter and subsequent reflection on the ethical treatment of plants.

Outlines

00:00

🌿 The Amazing Communication Skills of Plants

This paragraph introduces the fascinating world of plant communication, focusing on the tomato plant's ability to communicate through fragrances. When under attack by caterpillars, the plant emits specific scents to warn neighboring plants and attract beneficial insects for defense. The tomato can even identify the type of attacker by tasting the insect's saliva, producing different fragrance cocktails to attract the appropriate predators. The speaker's research journey across Europe, India, Kenya, Egypt, and her hometown reveals that plants communicate with a vast vocabulary of fragrances, respond to environmental signals, and have a complex underground network called mycorrhiza, which facilitates nutrient exchange among plants.

05:00

🌳 The Social and Ethical Implications of Plant Communication

The second paragraph delves into the implications of plant communication for agriculture and our relationship with plants. It suggests that by understanding and utilizing plant communication, we could develop more effective agricultural practices, such as using fragrances to warn plants of impending attacks or fostering beneficial insect relationships. The speaker also discusses the ethical considerations of plant dignity, as recognized in the Swiss constitution, and the ethical committee's deliberations on whether plants should be respected for their own sake. The paragraph concludes with the idea that plants are not mere objects but sentient beings with their own value, deserving of more than just respect—dignity.

10:03

🏵 The Ethical and Philosophical Debate on Plant Dignity

The final paragraph discusses the philosophical and ethical debate surrounding the concept of plant dignity. It reflects on the historical perception of animals as soulless machines and how society has evolved to recognize their dignity. The speaker shares the experience of being part of the federal ethics committee on non-human biotechnology, which grappled with defining dignity in relation to plants. The committee concluded that plants should not be subject to arbitrary harm, but disagreed on what constituted 'arbitrary.' The speaker argues against certain forms of genetic engineering that may violate plant dignity and advocates for recognizing plants' independence in adaptation and propagation. The paragraph ends with the speaker's hope for a future where humanity's arrogance is laughed at, indicating a shift in our understanding and treatment of plants.

Keywords

💡Communication

Communication in the context of the video refers to the various ways plants interact with each other and their environment. The video emphasizes that plants are not just passive organisms but actively communicate through the release of fragrances, which serve as signals for defense and interaction. For example, when a tomato plant is attacked by a caterpillar, it releases a fragrance to warn neighboring plants and attract beneficial insects.

💡Fragrances

Fragrances are chemical compounds released by plants for communication. In the video, it is mentioned that plants like the tomato release specific fragrances when under attack, which can be detected by other plants and insects. These fragrances act as a form of language, conveying messages about danger and attracting allies for defense.

💡Methyl Jasmonate

Methyl Jasmonate is a specific type of fragrance compound highlighted in the video. It is known in the perfume industry for its scent and is used by plants as an alarm signal to communicate the presence of predators. The video humorously notes that female researchers were advised not to wear Chanel No. 5, as it contains a similar scent that could confuse the tomato plants.

💡Beneficial Insects

Beneficial insects are those that help plants by either pollinating them or protecting them from pests. The video explains that plants can attract these insects by releasing certain fragrances when they are under attack. For instance, when a tomato plant is attacked by spider mites, it produces a fragrance cocktail to attract predatory mites that can control the mite population.

💡Saliva Identification

Saliva identification is a process by which plants can determine the type of insect attacking them by 'tasting' the saliva left by the insect. The video describes how a tomato plant can produce different fragrances based on whether it is attacked by caterpillars or spider mites, attracting the appropriate predators for each type of attacker.

💡Micro Rissa

Micro Rissa, also known as mycorrhiza, is a vast network of roots and fungi that connect plants underground. The video discusses this network as a form of 'wood wide web' that allows plants to communicate and exchange nutrients. This underground communication system is a key part of the plant's social context and contributes to their ability to support each other.

💡Environmental Signals

Environmental signals are stimuli that plants can perceive from their surroundings. The video mentions that plants can perceive about 20 different environmental signals, which is more than humans. These signals can include smells, tastes, touch, sight, sound, and even electromagnetic waves, allowing plants to have a complex understanding of their environment.

💡Learning

Learning, in the context of the video, refers to a plant's ability to remember past events and change its behavior accordingly. The video gives the example of a tomato plant that, after being attacked by caterpillars, can produce leaf toxins more efficiently in subsequent attacks, demonstrating a form of learning from experience.

💡Dignity

Dignity, as discussed in the video, is the concept that living beings, including plants, have an inherent value and should not be treated arbitrarily. The video explores the idea that recognizing the complexity of plant communication and behavior supports the argument that plants have dignity, which should be respected.

💡Agro System

Agro System refers to the methods and practices used in agriculture. The video suggests that understanding plant communication could lead to a better agro system, where plants are not just grown in monocultures but are allowed to interact and support each other, potentially leading to more sustainable and effective agricultural practices.

💡Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering is the manipulation of an organism's genes to achieve desired traits. The video touches on the ethical implications of genetic engineering in plants, particularly when it is done for commercial interests, such as creating sterile plants for patents, which could be seen as violating their dignity.

Highlights

Tomato plants communicate using fragrances to warn neighboring plants of caterpillar attacks.

Plants produce leaf toxins and release specific fragrances when under attack.

The fragrances produced by plants, such as methyl jasmonate, are known in the perfume industry.

Tomato plants can identify the type of predator attacking them by tasting their saliva.

Plants release different fragrance cocktails to attract specific beneficial insects for defense.

Apple trees communicate with other trees when infested by caterpillars to attract birds.

Plants can perceive about 20 environmental signals, more than humans.

Plants communicate and exchange nutrients through a vast underground network called mycorrhiza.

The underground network is referred to as the 'wood wide web'.

Plants can build alliances and exchange information through the mycorrhizal network.

Plants remember past events and can learn from experience, such as producing toxins more efficiently after repeated attacks.

Birch trees can remember events for up to four years.

Plants are not passive but engage in lively relationships with their environment.

Plants should be considered as having dignity, with value independent of human interests.

The Swiss constitution maintains that the dignity of living beings, including plants, must be respected.

The concept of plant dignity challenges the traditional view of plants as mere objects.

Plants' communication skills and social context are overlooked in monoculture farming practices.

The Ig Nobel Prize was awarded to the committee for their report on plant dignity, sparking laughter and thought.

Transcripts

Oh

there have been great communicators here

at TEDx Zurich but the best one of them

all never has been on the stage yet and

that's not me that this lovely little

tomato plant so I want to tell you about

the plant's amazing communication and

networking skills and then look at

possible consequences the plant

communicates with fragrances so when a

caterpillar attacks a leaf the plant

starts to produce leaf toxins and at the

same time she releases a cloud of

fragrances to warn the neighboring

Tomatoes so they can to start without

defense the fragrances are methyl

Jasmine aids scent well known in the

perfume industry so the female

researchers were told not to use Chanel

5 because it would have confused the

tomatoes for us it's a lovely scent but

for the tomatoes it means attention

predators are attacking

a little later on this tomato produces

different scents and this time it is to

attract beneficial insects for her

defense and the amazing thing is that

the tomato not only knows that she is

being attacked but exactly who is

attacking her if she is attacked by

spider mites she produces a fragrance

cocktail to attract predatory mites they

eat the spider mites but if she is

attacked by caterpillars she produces a

slightly different cocktail of

fragrances to attract parasitic wasps

but how did the tomato plant know who is

attacking her she can identify the

saliva so the plant tastes the saliva of

the insect and then produces a fragrance

to attract the right bodyguard oh what a

great feat of communication another

example when a patrice are attacked or

infested by caterpillars such as a small

winter moth they release a fragrance

cocktail to attract great teeth birds

the birds smell the SOS signals of the

attacked apple tree and thus find

themselves a fat catch of caterpillars I

was fascinated by this world of plants

and I started a career as an author I

visited many researchers and experts all

through Europe and also in India Kenya

and Egypt and of course also in past in

my home town the researchers told me

that all plants communicate with

fragrances they warn each other of a

coming danger they allow beneficial

insects they send out SOS signals they

even coordinate the behavior among

themselves and their vocabulary is

immense so far about the thousand

fragrance compounds have been identified

five to ten of which are common

to all plants well plants can do more

they can perceive about 20 environmental

signals more than we humans like humans

they can respond to smell taste touch

sight and sound and like birds they

sense electromagnetic waves and under

the ground there is a communication - if

you look at the forest you see

individual trees an oak tree a fir a

birch tree but if you look underground

you see that the roots of the trees

connect with fungi to build a huge vast

dynamic net a net called micro Rissa

which means funghi roots and greed in

science this net is referred to as the

www the wood white web instead of the

worldwide web also most non forest

plants build my career

Nate's with fungi not visible force and

research has shown the plants even

exchange nutrients among themselves

within within the micro reason it so in

good mixed cultures as often seen in

traditional agriculture plants could

build something like a dynamic

underground marketplace where plants

with long roots contribute water to the

net other ones nitrogen or phosphate or

sugar compounds so it's a constant

give-and-take within the plant community

and sometimes it's a battle - for

example marigolds they sweat a toxic

substance through the roots into the net

to impede other plants to grow and thus

new studies showing the plants even

exchange information through this net so

it's like a internet under our feet

knowing all this when I'm walking

through a forest and there is a constant

whispering and murmuring

a whispering of fragrances I do not

understand and under my feet there is a

constant exchange of nutrients and

information and knowing all this gives

me a completely different feeling it's

not me here isolated on three and three

and three but there's a strong feeling

that I'm too connected in this intricate

web of life all around me plants can do

more they remember past events and learn

from experience well learning is a fuzzy

concept one definition goes that

learning occurs when a living being

remembers a past event and can change

later on its behavior accordingly

well this tomato plant can do exactly

that when attacked by a caterpillar she

starts to produce leaf toxins we already

know but the second time a few days

later she can produce them much faster

and more efficiently so she remembered

the first attack and learned how to deal

with it in a better way most plants

perhaps all plants can do that birch

trees were found to remember a past

event for as long as four years I have

trouble remembering something for four

days and it's getting worse but for

years well to sum up plants are by no

means passive living automatons always

reacting in the same way and following

the genetic program while this notion is

still held within the scientific

community the country's two plants

communicate above and below ground they

engage in lively relationship with their

peers in the environment they Harris

although they build alliances they

remember they learn and some scientists

even think they're intelligent and

philosophically speaking we could say a

plant is not an object and they

but rather a sensitive living being a

she so the more we know the more I will

pick our image of the plant is turned

upside down question is what are the

implications of these new insights I see

mainly two first aren't we on the wrong

track with agriculture shouldn't we use

these insights for a better agro system

we could warn plants with fragrances of

a coming attack help them build micro

returned's boost their immune system

develop good mixed cultures or with wild

flowers lure beneficial insect into the

fields so it's the plants themselves

that that offers a great hope for the

future if we observe them carefully and

help them develop their skills but by

growing them in monocultures we deprive

them on the social context and we

utterly neglect the communication skills

what about our relationship with plants

does it matter

I had ample opportunity to discuss this

question in Switzerland because

Switzerland the only country worldwide

whose constitution maintains that the

dignity of living beings has to be

respected plants are living beings so

they have a dignity but what does it

mean the Swiss government came to the

federal ethics committee on non-human

biotechnology of which I was a member

and asked us to clarify the meaning of

dignity in regard to plants difficult

but dignity could be a sign a metaphor

the plants have a value of their own

independent of human interests so if we

look at plan

as living automatons following a set

program and only satisfying our interest

in demands such a notion would be absurd

it doesn't make sense but if we look at

plants as excellent networkers even

capable of subjective perceptions having

a life of their own then it makes sense

to say yes they have dignity so you know

when we look at the animals for for a

long time

animals were regarded as soulless

machines too and it was just in the last

few decades that they escape this

mechanistic trap and to die today

society agrees yes animals have at least

some dignity with plants we are miles

away from this point so in the ethics

committee we concentrated on the

question whether we should respect

plants out for their own sake

independent of the usefulness that we

could call dignity well in the end we

agreed on one point plants should not be

harmed in an arbitrary way arbitrary

injury or destruction of a plant is a

violation of their dignity but we

couldn't agree on the arbitrary for some

it meant the senseless speaking of a

roadside down the lion for all of us

I among them the total and massive

industrialization of plants so after

four years of discussion in 2008 it was

we published the report and soon

afterwards we received the Ig Nobel

Prize for this report I G stands for

ignoble it's a price for particular

ridiculous research

which makes people laugh and then later

on think we were proud to receive this

price and the member of our commission

flew to Harvard to get it but that is

just the very very beginning and

convinced that we urgently need some

limit against their total

industrialization that we that we as

humans have some responsibility to our

plants and of course it doesn't mean

that we should not eat cut grow mower

graft plants or do research with them

that is not the point

similarly giving animals some dignity

didn't mean we take them out of the food

chain or with a bit or will forbid the

animal research but in my view some

forms of genetic engineering not all

violate their dignity for example

manipulations to render plants sterile

for mere commercial interests or patents

on plants violate the dignity

furthermore plants should have some

degree of independence regarding their

adaptation and propagation as well as

the survival of their own species after

having discussed dignity for such a long

time I came to love this expression it's

more than respect or value if I would

ask you for more respect for this tomato

plant nobody would bother uptake

particularly dignity as a provocation

and that is good and maybe maybe in a

few years we will all laugh together as

predicted by the Ig Nobel Prize and they

then will be a laugh about our arrogance

as humans ladies and gentlemen thank you

very much

you