French researchers at INRAE have made an important discovery, confirming that trees can actively keep themselves upright through a mechanism similar to the way muscles work in animals. Experiments with young poplars showed that trees can straighten themselves when their position changes or they are exposed to external factors, such as changes in lighting or the removal of gravity. This process involves the alternating formation of specialised ‘tension wood’ on opposite sides of the stem, working on the same principle as antagonistic muscles.
How trees correct their own posture
The study conducted by INRAE specialists confirmed a hypothesis put forward around fifteen years ago. It established that trees produce special ‘tension wood’ on alternating sides of their stems. This wood acts like antagonistic muscles in animals, generating opposing tensile and compressive forces. This mechanism allows a tree to actively adjust its posture and return to an upright position.
Scientists call this process a ‘sensorimotor loop’. A tree ‘senses’ its own position in space and actively corrects it. Lead researcher Bruno Moulia noted that ‘poor coordination in the sequential activation of tension wood leads to excessive internal stress’. This means that, like athletes, trees can suffer adverse effects from excessive strain on their own tissues.
Overcoming ‘plant blindness’
This discovery has profound implications that go beyond simply understanding biological mechanisms. It suggests that trees possess a form of ‘embodied intelligence’ that humans have overlooked for centuries, perceiving them as a passive element of the environment. The researchers hope their work will help overcome so-called ‘plant blindness’ — our tendency to see the living green world as scenery rather than as an active participant in the ecosystem.
Source: DailyGood | News That Inspires
