(Caress Zebras at the zoo in Beijing, China, inaugurated in 1906, the zoo is one of the oldest in the country and houses more than 14,000 animals - Source: http://fotografia.folha.uol.com.br/galerias / 18396-images-the-day-photo # 308118)
The communication between living beings is essential for the survival of all species. It seems strange to say this, after all animals and plants do not have the ability to articulate words and say things that make sense to humans. But, like us, animals use their own channels in sensory communication. Depending on the species, goal is to draw attention of the opposite sex during the breeding season, defending territory, identify animals of the same species, or chat with members of the same group.
Diurnal animals are great at transmitting and receiving visual signals. The male of the species sergeant thrush, a bird native to North and Central, has reddish spots in the corner of the wings. These spots seen from afar serve to demarcate territory. In 1972, the biologist Douglas G. Smith painted birds' feathers black, and their territory was invaded by other birds of the same species that had not been painted.
The acoustic communication is also widely used by animals of various species: birds, whales, jaguars, bats, dogs. All of them emit sounds which, although not perceived - as in the case of bats - or understandable to the human ear, used to communicate with other animals and perceive the environment around them. Recently, UK scientists have discovered that dolphins call each other by name: they have a single whistle for each group member.
There are also chemical signals, which are used by most insects. In various kinds of moths, for example, females produce substances that leave a trail through which the attracting males. Mammals can also take advantage of this feature: after all, the smelly skunk is not by chance. It releases a strong odor characteristic to scare predators.
Lemurs have anal glands that release smells and mark territory. In the mating season, occurring even "fights" stink: males rub their bushy tails and striped glands and try to rub it in other males. The winner of the fight will have unfettered access to the female.
Tact can also be useful to animals that live in groups, such as chimpanzees. They live hugging, stroking and poking, regardless of the reason: it can be to get rid of stress, to greet or to appease the aggression of one. In addition, aquatic animals are able to communicate through electrical pulses. Several species Mormyridae family, who live in rivers and lakes of Africa, discharge electricity into the water to try to find conspecifics.
Communication vegetable
Plants also communicate, not only among themselves but also with animals. They resort to features such as lights and shadows, aroma chemicals and physical touch to attract pollinators, help in the growth process and to avoid contamination by fungi and other diseases. Thus, plants that are close to each other can help you survive.
Recently, a study published by a university in Australia indicates that there may be another type of cooperative communication between plant that goes beyond chemical sensors, light and tactile.
Starting from the fact that basil helps feet pepper to germinate more quickly, researchers placed a vase with a pepper seed beside the pot basil, but separated so that there were no chemical communication, lights and shadows or physical contact between them .
Experience has shown that even these isolated types of communication could help the basil stand to germinate much faster than if you were alone. This means that the neighborhood between plants encouraged communication.
No sure how the two plants is reported. The study suggests that fluctuations of nanomechanical components of trunks and branches produce sonic vibrations that neighboring plants can capture.
Plants do not speak, but can produce sounds to communicate with each other. One certainty is that the colors of the flowers communicate with insects polonizadores. The petals of the species Desmodium setigerum, for example, can change color after receiving a visit from a bee.
So, if they are not pollinated effectively the first bee, they gain a color even stronger and win the second chance draw attention to another bee. If the first bee pollination was efficient, they become less striking, indicating that there is nothing left for the next insect.
Sources: articles "An Introduction to Animal Communication," Erin Gillam (Department of Biological Sciences, State University of North Dakota, USA), "Systems of Animal Communication", by Edward Vajda (Western Washington University, in the United States), "Functional ecology of color change and breeding biology in Desmodium setigerum" by Dara Stanley (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland) and Karin Steijven (Wageningen University, the Netherlands), and "Love thy neighbor: facilitation through an alternative signaling modality in plants ", by Monica Gagliano and Michael Renton (University of Western Australia), and the Animal Diversity Web site, which is maintained by the University of Michigan (USA) and University of St Andrews (UK).
Source: www.uol.com.br
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