評論
打印
Plants Arming Themselves
植物的自我武裝
Yaël: Don, imagine this scenario. You're a plant, and a butterfly lays its eggs on you. What do you do?
Don，試想一下這樣的情景：你是一株植物，一只蝴蝶在你的葉子上產下了很多的卵，作為植物的你會做什么呢？
Don: What can I do Yaël, I'm a plant. I have roots, I think I'm stuck.
你說我能做什么呢，我是株植物，我是有根的，被死死固定在泥土里。
Y: Actually, Don, it turns out that you can do plenty.
事實上，你可以做很多事情。
D: Even with caterpillars gnawing on my leaves?
即使毛毛蟲在啃我的葉子？
Y: Especially them, you see plants aren't as static as you think they are. In fact, some plants are so tuned into their predators that they know exactly what kind of insect is munching on their leaves.
特別是這種情況，你要知道植物并非你所想的那樣一直靜止不動。事實上，許多植物對其天敵相當敏感，所以能很清楚地辨識出是什么昆蟲在啃食自己的葉子。
D: Like whether it's a caterpillar or a beetle? Amazing!
能辨識出是毛毛蟲還是甲蟲？太神奇啦！
Y: And this means that individual plants can also adjust their physiology in response to their current conditions. So they may release substances that are toxic to the particular insect, adjust the ways they look and smell, and even adjust their growth patterns.
這意味著單株植物能根據眼前的情況調整自身的生理學特征——釋放對特定昆蟲有毒的物質、改變自身的形態、散發不同的氣味、甚至于改變自身的生長模式。
D: Really?
真的嗎？
Y: And this can work both for and against the other species, depending on whether the plant needs its help. For example, plants being attacked by an insect might release scents that attract the predators of that insect. And don't think the insects don't adjust in return. For example, they may adjust the balance of enzymes in their stomach in order to better digest the plant.
這樣的改變對其他的物種有好處也有壞處，這取決于該植物是否能獲得益處。比如說，某種植物被昆蟲攻擊時可能會釋放出能引來該種昆蟲天敵的氣味。但是，不要認為昆蟲都是“傻子”，它們也會進行相應的調整。例如，昆蟲會改變胃液中消化酶的平衡以此更好地消化植物。
D: So it's like the plants and the insects are engaged in some elaborate arms race.
那這樣說來，豈不是說植物與昆蟲都“醉心于”一場“精銳武器”大賽！
