Transient and oscillatory bioelectric potentials and their relation to automatic control mechanisms in plant roots

In all dynamic systems, whether physical or biological, in which interaction of a large number of variables occurs, the study of transient and oscillatory phenomena has in general facilitated the elucidation of the complex processes involved in such systems. The study of the animal nervous system is a classical example of this. In general oscillatory and transient phenomena indicate some instability in the rather delicate balance between different variables in a physiological system. The study of oscillations in the bioelectric potential pattern of bean roots has led to the conclusion that these are symptom of instability in a negative feedback system of control acting between certain physiological variables in the biological organ. From an investigation of this feedback osciliator considerable information about the interaction of these physiological variables has been revealed.