Awareness and integrated information theory identify plant meristems as sites of conscious activity

• Published in: Protoplasma Vol. 258; no. 3; pp. 673 - 679
• Main Author: Trewavas, Anthony
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vienna Springer Vienna 01.05.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; brain; Calcium; Calcium (intracellular); cambium; Cell Biology; Consciousness; Consciousness - physiology; Environmental changes; humans; Information theory; Life Sciences; mathematical theory; mature plants; memory; Meristem - chemistry; Meristems; Nervous system; New Ideas in Cell Biology; Plant Sciences; Plants - chemistry; root meristems; Synapses; Zoology; Integrated information theory; Meristems; Associative learning; Plant consciousness; Consciousness; Awareness

Lacking an anatomical brain/nervous system, it is assumed plants are not conscious. The biological function of consciousness is an input to behaviour; it is adaptive (subject to selection) and based on information. Complex language makes human consciousness unique. Consciousness is equated to awaren...