Trees Communicate Through Underground Networks

Beneath the forest floor lies a bustling, hidden world of communication, often dubbed the 'wood wide web'. This intricate network is not composed of cables, but of mycorrhizal fungi, which form a symbiotic relationship with the roots of trees and other plants. The fungi receive carbon-rich sugars from the trees' photosynthesis, and in return, they provide the trees with essential nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen from the soil. This mutually beneficial exchange extends far beyond a simple transaction, creating a web that can connect hundreds of trees, even of different species, allowing them to share resources and information across the entire forest.

The communication facilitated by this fungal network is remarkably complex. Through these connections, trees can share vital resources such as water and carbon with their neighbors. This is especially crucial for younger seedlings struggling in the shade of the canopy, which receive nutrients from larger, more established trees. Beyond sharing sustenance, the network also acts as a warning system. If a tree is attacked by pests, it can send out chemical distress signals through the mycorrhizal network to neighboring trees. This early warning allows the other trees to ramp up their own defensive compounds to ward off the impending threat.

The concept of the 'wood wide web' was brought to light by the research of Dr. Suzanne Simard, whose experiments in the 1990s revealed the extent of this underground cooperation. Her work identified what are often called 'mother trees'—large, central trees that act as hubs within these networks. These mother trees can recognize their own kin and preferentially send more carbon and nutrients to their seedlings, nurturing their growth and increasing their chances of survival. When a mother tree is dying, it will even bequeath a significant portion of its carbon to the surrounding community, ensuring the continued health of the forest ecosystem.