In a recent UK study<\/strong>, scientists found that plants in the wild are connected by their roots via networks of fungi<\/strong>. These complex webs, called mycorrhizae<\/strong>, can run for miles underground \u2014 allowing plants to talk to each other in a virtual \u201cplant Internet\u201d<\/em>. Here\u2019s a discovery that may change the way you see the world forever! <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Mycorrhizae<\/strong> is a type of fungus that sticks to the roots of plants (In Greek, mykos means fungus and riza means root)<\/em>. By growing out silky \u201cbranches\u201d to the roots of other plants, the fungus forms a complex web. This can span dozens<\/em> of meters on average. And if you look upon one closely, it kinda looks like a cobweb \u2014 as mycelium often does. A familiar sight for sure, if you grow your own magic mushrooms<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So how exactly can plants talk via these root fungi? Researchers from the University of Aberdeen<\/strong> created a test to figure out just that! In a classic experiment, they grew two sets of broad bean plants. One set was allowed to grow nets of fungi. The other set was not. Stems, branches, and leaves were also covered with bags to prevent any chemical signals (which can spread out via air)<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The scientists then released aphids<\/strong> (vicious sap-sucking insects)<\/em> onto some of the plants, to see if they could \u201cwarn\u201d<\/em> the others in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Did you know that bean plants, when threatened, can spray out chemicals? These \u201canti-aphid\u201d toxins also attract wasps<\/strong>, the pests\u2019 natural predators. As a defense, it only works if the aphid-infested plants can warn the others in time \u2014 and this is where the fungi network steps in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The first set<\/em> of bean plants (which had fungi networks) <\/em>were able to prepare for the coming aphids. The second set<\/em> (which had zero fungi networks)<\/em> had no idea the pests were coming. They had no early warning system<\/strong>… so their beans were chomped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The incredible power of fungi networks go beyond<\/em> bean plants. Believe it or not, mycorrhizal fungi connect 90% of all land plants<\/strong>! Older trees send sugars to \u201cbaby trees\u201d… Dying trees can pass on leftover nutrients for others to use\u2026 And of course, early warnings are sent to the rest of the forest (in case of insect plagues)<\/em>. All thanks to fungi networks!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe relationship between these mycorrhizal fungi and the plants they connect is now known to be<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>ancient (around four hundred and fifty million years old)… a <\/em>symbiosis <\/a><\/em><\/strong>in which both organisms benefit from [each other].\u201d <\/em>\u2014 from the New Yorker<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The fungi absorb food from trees, such as the carb-rich sugar they make from sunlight. Using special enzymes which trees don\u2019t have, the fungi takes phosphorus<\/strong>, nitrogen<\/strong>, and iron<\/strong> from the soil \u2014 and shares<\/em> them with their leafy hosts. How so? Turns out, fungi networks can absorb nutrients and water better than plant roots themselves! Amazing, isn\u2019t it? <\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cPlant Internet\u201d <\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Early Warning System <\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Wood Wide Web <\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Nature\u2019s Recycling <\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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