Plant Behaviour and Intelligence

Häftad, Engelska, 2015

AvAnthony Trewavas

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This book provides a convincing argument for the view that whole cells and whole plants growing in competitive wild conditions show aspects of plant behaviour that can be accurately described as 'intelligent'. Trewavas argues that behaviour, like intelligence, must be assessed within the constraints of the anatomical and physiological framework of the organism in question. The fact that plants do not have centralized nervous systems for example, does not exclude intelligent behaviour. Outside the human dimension, culture is thought largely absent and fitness is the biological property of value. Thus, solving environmental problems that threaten to reduce fitness is another way of viewing intelligent behaviour and has a similar meaning to adaptively variable behaviour. The capacity to solve these problems might be considered to vary in different organisms, but variation does not mean absence. By extending these ideas into a book that allows a critical and amplified discussion, the author hopes to raise an awareness of the concept of purposive behaviour in plants.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2015-07-23
Mått189 x 246 x 14 mm
Vikt658 g
FormatHäftad
SpråkEngelska
Antal sidor304
FörlagOUP OXFORD
ISBN9780198753681

Tillhör följande kategorier

Djurböcker inom Djur och Natur
Botanik inom Naturvetenskap och teknik
Växtböcker inom Djur och Natur
Djurens beteende inom Naturvetenskap och teknik
Biovetenskap inom Naturvetenskap och teknik

Anthony Trewavas obtained his B.Sc and Ph.D from University College, London in Biochemistry and went to do post doctoral research at the University of East Anglia and the University of Edinburgh, where he became Professor of Plant Biochemistry, as well as undertaking numerous visiting professorships abroad. He has published 250 papers and two books, and is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of London, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and Academia Europea and has been elected as a Life Member of the American Society of Plant Biology.

1. A feeling for the organism ; 2. Plant behaviour foundations ; 3. The origins of photosynthesis. 1.What are the salient characteristics of living systems? ; 4. The origins of photosynthesis. 2. The evolution of life and photosynthesis ; 5. Why did plants become multicellular? ; 6. Convergent evolution is common in plant systems ; 7. Are angiosperms more complex than mammals? ; 8. Plant behaviour: first intimations of self organisation ; 9. The varieties of plant behaviour ; 10. The self organising plant: lessons from swarm intelligence ; 11. Self-organisation: Cambium as the integration assessor ; 12. Self-organising capacity in leaf behaviour ; 13. Self-organisation and behaviour in root systems ; 14. Self-organisation in response to gravity ; 15. Signals other than gravity ; 16. Behavioural characteristics of seeds: elements of dormancy ; 17. Games plants play ; 18. Competition and cooperation between individual plants for mates and territory: the recognition of self ; 19. The nature of intelligent behaviour: cognition or adaptation? ; 20. Brains and nerve cells are not necessary for intelligent behaviour ; 21. Intelligent genomes ; 22. Cellular basis of intelligent behaviour ; 23. Cell organisation and protein networks ; 24. Instinct, reflex and conditioned behaviours: characteristics of plant behaviour? ; 25. Intelligence and consciousness ; 26. Intelligent foraging?

The fact that the ideas presented in this book will probably not always be easy to accept gives it a unique value. There are oceans of data papers and books, but many fewer intriguing and inspiring ones. Given the, in general, historically wrong view about plants as almost inanimate creatures, they have not been studied as deeply as have animals. Therefore, there are many aspects of plant biology, especially those that can illuminate their behavior and intelligence, that have been left almost untouched. If this book stimulates researchers to address descriptively, theoretically, and experimentally these many overlooked or neglected aspects of plant biology, the book will be a great success, because it is certainly not a typical scientific book, but rather a manifesto.