Sibling rivalry? In the plant world it's all about cooperation.
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When you dump a packet of seeds into a pot of soil, you probably don't think who their parents where, but recent research suggests that you probably should. A study conducted at McMaster University found that individual plants of the same species actually change their growth patterns depending on whether they are sharing a pot with a member of their kin group or one with which they are not related.
It has long been known that plants will compete, meaning they will grow more vigorously, when planted in close proximity to other species. This is the first time, however, that scientists have seen definitive responses between plants of the same species coming from different mothers. The findings support long-suspected but never proven theories that plants are capable, on some levels, of complex social interaction and altruistic behavior.
