Fungi and communication

 

Trees and other plants, just like us humans, are able to communicate. They have their own network, which is placed under the ground. It is entirely made from fungi and is called a mycelium. The fungi forms a branch-like structure, which is beneficial to plants in many ways. Thanks to the mycelium, plants are able to exchange substances that they need for their survival, like sugar or carbon. It turns out, that older, bigger trees often give smaller plants a variety of nutrients, which travel through the fungi network. Scientists have actually tested, whether the theory of communication between plants is true. One of the experiments consisted of tagging different parts of the mycelium with a fluorescent substance. After some time, they checked it under a microscope and it turned out that the substance has travelled into many other parts of the fungi and plants. Thanks to fungi, plants and seedlings can grow better and survive.

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