As in all organisms, the evolution, development, and growth of plants depend on the success of complex communication processes. These communication processes are primarily signal-mediated interactions and not simply an exchange of information. Therefore, identification of meaning functions of signaling molecules depends on coherent investigation of interactional patterns in which signaling occurs. These interactions involve active coordination and active organization of a variety of timely ordered steps and substeps conveyed by signs. A wide range of chemical substances and physical influences serve as signs. Different abiotic (water, light, gravity) or biotic influences (symbiotic interactions, attack, defense, mating, etc.) require different behaviors. Depending on the behavior, the core set of signs common to species, families, and genera of plants is variously produced, combined, and transported. This allows entirely different communication processes to be carried out with the same types of chemical molecules (e.g., auxin, see below), which optimizes energy cost (see below).
With Communication, Plants Coordinate Complex InteractionsPlants have long been considered metabolic growth automatons with very simple stimuli-response reactions based on input-output mechanics. Research in last decades completely changed this picture. We now know plants as highly sensitive organisms which actively sense their environment on different levels within their plant body (intraorganismic) and interact with same, related, and nonrelated plants (interorganismic); with nonplant organisms such as fungi, bacteria, and animals (transorganismic); and-additionally-with abiotic influences from the
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