The Green Plant as an Intelligent Organism - Communication in Plants: Neuronal Aspects of Plant Life - page 2

1.1.1
The Problems of Subjective Intelligence
Before embarking on a discussion of plant intelligence it is essential to
indicate what is meant by the term. The actual word is derived from the Latin
inter legere meaning simply to choose. Dictionary definitions of intelligence
use terms such as self-recognition or capacity for understanding and are
couched in human terms. These definitions are perfectly adequate for public
discussion that usually only involves human beings. But for biologists who
wish to investigate and understand intelligence in other organisms such
definitions lack useful substance.
A common problem is subjective intelligence. For example the cyber-
neticist, Warwick (2001, p. 9) states that “Comparisons (of intelligence)
are usually made between characteristics that humans consider important;
such a stance if of course biased and subjective in terms of the groups for
whom it is being used.” And as he shows is easily discredited. “When we
compare the important aspects of intelligence, it is those which allow one
species to dominate and exert power over other species that are of prime
importance” (Warwick 2001). Bearing in mind the fact that plants dom-
inate the planet, this statement is of importance for understanding plant
intelligence. A further common assumption is that only organisms with
brains (primates, cetaceans, crows) can be intelligent. Vertosick (2002) de-
scribes this as simple “brain chauvinism” and Schull (1990) goes further in
stating that such views ascribe nerve cells as having some sort of vitalistic
quality.
1.1.2
An Ability to Integrate a Multiplicity of Information
into a Response Is an Important Intelligent Capability
Plants and animals are not passive objects in the face of environmental
disturbance as indicated in the poem by Hirshfield (2005). They react and
positively fashion themselves according to the information (signals) be-
ing received. Behaviour is the response to signals (Silvertown and Gordon
1989). Animals move when signalled, plants change their phenotype (Tre-
wavas 2003). After that information is processed and integrated with the
internal information, a response is constructed that improves fitness, the
ultimate goal.
Green plants respond to numerous environmental biotic factors such as
food resources (light, minerals, water) mechanical stimuli, humidity, soil
structure, temperature and gases (Trewavas 2000; Turkington and Aarsen
1984). In each case the strength, direction, specific characteristics (e.g.