The secret sound of plants: How moths are tuning in

Researchers at Tel Aviv University have demonstrated for the first time that animals respond to sounds emitted by plants—sounds that are entirely inaudible to human ears but detectable by certain insects, mammals, and bats.

The study, published in the journal eLife, suggests that a previously hidden acoustic layer of interaction may exist within ecosystems, with potential implications for our understanding of how plants and animals co-evolve and communicate, Caliber.Az reports.

The research team found that female moths actively avoided laying eggs on tomato plants emitting stress-related sounds. These ultrasonic clicks, generated by dehydrated or otherwise distressed plants, appeared to signal poor health—prompting the moths to seek alternative hosts for their offspring.

“This is the first demonstration ever of an animal responding to sounds produced by a plant,” said Professor Yossi Yovel, one of the lead researchers. “It’s speculative at this stage, but it raises the possibility that various animals might use plant sounds to decide whether to pollinate, feed, or shelter within them.”

The scientists had previously shown in 2023 that plants under duress—such as from drought or physical damage—emit high-frequency noises. These sounds arise from physical mechanisms, such as the movement of air bubbles within xylem tissue, rather than any sentient intent. Nonetheless, they appear to convey meaningful information to surrounding organisms.

In the latest experiments, the researchers ensured that the moths' behaviour was guided by auditory cues alone, isolating the acoustic signals from other potential factors like visual or chemical indicators. The findings suggest that the moths interpreted the sounds as evidence of a suboptimal environment for their larvae.

Professor Lilach Hadany, a co-author of the study, said the implications could be far-reaching. “This opens the door to an entire field of research. If plants are indeed emitting informative signals, and if animals are responding, we may be observing a complex, previously unrecognised layer of ecological interaction,” she explained.

Another avenue of interest is the possibility of plant-to-plant communication through sound. According to Prof Hadany, stressed plants might signal neighbouring ones, prompting collective responses such as conserving water during drought conditions.

The researchers emphasise that plants are not conscious beings. Instead, the acoustic emissions result from mechanical changes within the plant structure. Still, these emissions appear to be ecologically significant for other organisms capable of perceiving them.

“If these signals provide advantages,” Prof Hadany noted, “it’s conceivable that plants could evolve to emit them more frequently or at higher volumes, while animals evolve better sensitivity to detect them.”

The researchers now plan to expand their work by examining other plant species and animal responses, with the aim of charting the broader impact of plant acoustics on ecosystems. As Prof Yovel summarised: “This is just the beginning—an entire world of communication we’ve only begun to uncover.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev