La Vida Social Secreta de las Plantas

Plants communicate through chemical signals to warn of threats and produce toxins. They also use underground fungi networks to detect diseases and create antibiotics. Some plants exhibit parasitic behavior, mimicking host plants for support and camouflage. These complex interactions highlight the sophisticated social networks of plants.

How do plants respond when they detect the smell of a caterpillar?

• They produce sweet nectar.

• They grow faster.

• They change color.

• They start producing bitter toxins.

What role do parasitic wasps play in plant defense?

• They provide shade to the plants.

• They pollinate the plants.

• They inject eggs into caterpillars.

• They eat the plant leaves.

How do healthy plants react when they detect a disease in a neighboring plant?

• They stop growing.

• They start making antibiotics.

• They produce more flowers.

• They wilt and die.

What is a unique ability of the parasitic cuscuta plant?

• It can grow underground.

• It can produce its own water.

• It can smell and locate its preferred hosts.

• It can photosynthesize without sunlight.

How do some parasitic plants use mimicry to their advantage?

• By producing flowers that look like insects.

• By developing leaves that resemble their host plants.

• By changing their color to match the soil.

• By growing roots that mimic other plants.