A Cuban plant uses a leaf shaped like a satellite dish to signal bats
In short: While most flowers use bright colors to lure insects, some plants use sound. New research reveals how Marcgravia evenia uses a specialized, hemisphere-shaped leaf to reflect bat sonar, acting as a biological echo beacon to guide pollinators through the dark.
Most pollinators are drawn to the visual spectacle of colorful petals. However, for plants that rely on nocturnal mammals, sight is often secondary to sound. Researchers have recently identified a remarkable acoustic strategy in the Cuban plant Marcgravacia evenia. By evolving a leaf that functions like a satellite dish, the plant creates a consistent acoustic signal that is easy for bats to detect.
The mechanism behind this discovery involves the way sonar interacts with the plant's anatomy. In laboratory experiments, Pallas's long-tongued bats were significantly more efficient at locating food when the specialized dish-shaped leaf was present. Specifically, bats found hidden feeders about 50 percent faster when accompanied by the M. evenia leaf, compared to when no specialized leaf was present. Interestingly, simply attaching a standard leaf only reduced search times by 6 percent, suggesting the specific hemispherical shape is vital.
The study, published July 29 in the journal Science, highlights the importance of this feature for the plant's survival. Because M. evenia is rare and exists in patchy distributions, it must attract bats from a distance. The dish-shaped leaf reflects sonar echoes so that they sound nearly identical to a bat approaching from almost any angle, providing a 'conspicuously constant' signal. This allows the wide-ranging bats to bridge the gap between isolated plant specimens.
This discovery adds a new layer to our understanding of plant-animal communication. While another species, M. holtonii, uses a small acoustic 'mirror' inside its flowers to signal bats, M. evenia represents a 'true acoustic echo beacon' because the signal is much larger and more accessible. Scientists believe this is only the beginning of uncovering how the acoustic world of plants and pollinators operates.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: This Plant Attracts Bats With a Satellite Dish
- Also: Bats Drawn to Plant via "Echo Beacon"
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