Living Plants Ecosystem Sensing: A Quantum Bridge between Thermodynamics and Bioelectricity

The in situ measurement of the bioelectric potential in xilematic and floematic superior plants reveals valuable insights into the biological activity of these organisms, including their responses to lunar and solar cycles and collective behaviour. This paper reports on the Cyberforest Experiment conducted in the open-air Paneveggio forest in Valle di Fiemme, Trento, Italy, where spruce (i.e., Picea abies) is cultivated. Our analysis of the bioelectric potentials reveals a strong correlation between higher-order complexity measurements and thermodynamic entropy and suggests that bioelectrical signals can reflect the metabolic activity of plants. Additionally, temporal correlations of bioelectric signals from different trees may be precisely synchronized or may lag behind. These correlations are further explored through the lens of quantum field theory, suggesting that the forest can be viewed as a collective array of in-phase elements whose correlation is naturally tuned depending on the environmental conditions. These results provide compelling evidence for the potential of living plant ecosystems as environmental sensors.

Automated summary

The in situ measurement of bioelectric potentials in superior plants provides valuable insights into their biological activity and responses to lunar and solar cycles. This study highlights the correlation between higher-order complexity measurements and thermodynamic entropy, suggesting that bioelectric signals can reflect plant metabolism. The temporal correlations of bioelectric signals among different trees are explored through the lens of quantum field theory, revealing the forest as a collective array of in-phase elements whose correlation is naturally tuned by environmental conditions. These findings support the potential of living plant ecosystems as environmental sensors.