Plant-plant communication - possible mechanisms and benefits

Abstract: Plants interact with their environment in many ways. They can emit and receive volatile organic compounds (VOC) and sound. They can reflect specific wavelengths of light and detect these light signals, reflected by other plants. They can also feel when they are touched and distinguish different types of touch. All these interactions induce different responses in the plants, helping them adapt to, and survive in their environment. This is a literary study, describing the mechanisms of the many communication ways used by plants and discussing the reasons for them to interact. Detecting messages from another plant is directly benefitable for the receiving plant but not for the emitter. Since the interactions doesn’t always occur within the same species, but between plants of different species, it may seem odd that they would help each other. What could possibly be the benefit of helping a rival, competing for space, nutrients and light? A collocation of behavioural patterns indicates that the emitted cues are not aimed for other plants. The reason for the emission of these cues is to communicate with mutualists and offspring. This is indirectly benefitable to the plant itself or for its prefiltration. By eavesdropping on the cues, emitted from others, the plant can foresee future events in its environment. It can also identify its neighbours and their behaviour. By emitting cues, the plant shares some information about itself, which could be negative, but is essential. Detecting cues, emitted from others is mostly benefitable. The conclusion would be that plants aim to collect as much information about the surroundings as possible while sharing as little of it as they can.