Dr. Richard Karban, a trained ecologist and member of the UC Davis Entomology Department… who covers an array of intriguing topics, from “eavesdropping” plants to distinct plant “personalities”, is fully aware of the controversy surrounding his field. But he emphasizes that plant communication isn’t a fantasy; it is a biological response to specific cues. …Decades ago, little was known about it. Today, many researchers, such as Dr. Karban, argue that forests are highly communicative biological networks. These are sophisticated behaviors, but Karban attributes them to evolution and natural selection, not hidden sentience. He cautions against projecting human emotions onto biology, but suggests that to understand plants, we must understand their version of a “Hierarchy of Needs.” …Dr Kathryn Flinn, an ecologist at Baldwin Wallace University, believes that while mycorrhizal networks move resources, this does not mean the tree sending those resources is making a strategic or selfless decision. …Another notion gaining attention is that of a ‘Mother Tree’ recognising family members.