A New Perspective on Tree Electrical Signaling During Solar Eclipses
In a study that caused quite a stir when it was published last year, researchers reported a fascinating observation: a group of Norway spruce trees (Picea abies) seemed to synchronize their electrical signaling just before a partial solar eclipse. However, a new theory has emerged that challenges this interpretation.
Ecologists Ariel Novoplansky and Hezi Yizhaq from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel have reexamined the data and proposed a more plausible explanation. They suggest that the electrical activity in the trees was likely triggered by a drop in temperature, a passing thunderstorm, and nearby lightning strikes – environmental factors that previous research has shown can elicit similar responses in plants.
Novoplansky expressed skepticism about the original study, stating, “Instead of considering simpler, well-documented environmental factors, like a heavy rainstorm and a cluster of nearby lightning strikes, the authors leaned into the more seductive idea that the trees were anticipating the impending solar eclipse.”
Another study in October 2022, conducted in a forest in the Dolomite mountains in northeastern Italy, also reported bioelectrical responses in trees during a solar eclipse. The researchers suggested that older trees transmitted their past experiences to the rest of the forest, signaling an impending environmental change. However, Novoplansky and Yizhaq argue that the more likely cause of the observed activity was the thunderstorm that occurred at the same time.
The researchers point out that solar eclipses are unique events with specific characteristics that make it unlikely for trees to predict them based on past experiences. Additionally, the slight changes in gravitational forces during an eclipse would not provide enough information for trees to coordinate a response.
Furthermore, the researchers argue that the reduction in light during a partial solar eclipse would not significantly disrupt photosynthesis or other processes in the trees. They emphasize that the original study’s limited scope, focusing on only a few trees and stumps, may have led to an erroneous conclusion about collective tree signaling.
While plants have demonstrated the ability to anticipate environmental changes in the past, the idea of trees predicting a solar eclipse faces several challenges. Novoplansky and Yizhaq believe that the study of tree electromes (charged molecules in tree cells) is a promising field of research, but caution against making unfounded claims about tree communication or anticipation based solely on correlation.
As research in this area continues to evolve, it is essential to approach the study of tree electrical signaling with a critical eye and a focus on empirical evidence. The wonders of the forest are vast and mysterious, and there is much more to discover about the intricate ways in which trees interact with their environment.
The findings of this study have been published in Trends in Plant Science.
