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Are trees actually
quite chatty?
Imagine you're walking through a forest. Everything might seem quiet...but beneath your feet is a flurry of conversation. All the plants around you are actually talking to each other. The trees and the shrubs and the flowers are passing information back and forth, with serious life and death consequences. So, how are they communicating? They’re using a giant network of fungi—one so pervasive and powerful that some scientists have started comparing it to the Internet. They’re calling it the “Wood Wide Web.”
Anna Rothschild
Gross Science/PBS NOVA
February 2, 2017
This conversation amongst the trees is part of their working together through the help of underground mycorrhizal fungi. However, keep in mind that not all scientists believe this idea to be true, but on the flipside there are still those who adhere to this theory. In their opinion, the fungi grow on and around the tree roots and connect the trees through underground thread-like networks. They link the trees and they in turn can "chat" with each other. The fungi allows the trees to share nutrients and transfer water, nitrogen, carbon and other minerals between each other. They also warn each other of possible threats such as insect attacks or disease.
As I mentioned, there are those in recent years who are challenging the idea of trees communicating with each other, saying there is little evidence to support this theory.
On the other hand, the one thing that most scientists and researchers agree on is that fungi live in symbiosis (close relationship)
with trees and this in itself is very intriguing!
"The fungal mycelium (the parts of forest fungi that are underground) absorbs nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium from the environment, and share this with the trees.
The fungus also protects the roots of trees
and other plants from diseases. In return,
the fungus receives food in the form of carbohydrates (sugar) and some vitamins."
(source: Great Norwegian Encyclopia/sciencenorway.no)
"The fungi draw nutrients and water from the soil and pass those to the trees, and also protect
the roots from pathogens. And by using and storing carbon from the trees, the fungi also benefit the forest."
(troymedia.com)
So essentially no matter how you look at it, whether the trees are chatting with each other or they live in a very close relationship with fungi, it is pretty stinkin' amazing! Once again, you can't beat nature for being extraordinary!
Illustrations - permission obtained via store policies and direct communications:
woodland scenes by Altendi (Etsy)