How do trees communicate?

Hi,
You may have heard that trees can talk. So today, we’re going to be looking at how trees talk.

Mycorrhizal network

The mycorrhizal network is a network of trees and other plants all connected by fungi. This creates a symbiotic relationship between the trees and the fungi that grow on their roots. The fungi give the trees nutrients and the trees give the fungi sugars.

Nutrients/Resources

However, trees can also use this fungi network to send each other nutrients and sugars. The most common example of this is that older trees will send sapling sugars because the sapling doesn’t get enough sunlight to photosynthesise. Dying trees will also send all of their nutrients into the network for other trees to use.

Electrical pulses

This is a quite recent discovery. Trees will send electric pulses through the fungi system to warn other trees of droughts, fires, and diseases. Scientists believe that this works similarly to nervous systems in animals however it remains a matter of great interest.

Benefits

As already mentioned, trees can share nutrients and warn each other of danger. Two trees can work together. For instance, if a fir tree and an oak tree are connected, then the fir tree will provide the oak tree with nutrients in winter, and in summer it will be the other way around. This is called Osmosis.

Downsides

Despite being a brilliant system, there are some downsides. Some plants, such as orchids connect to the system just to steal nutrients that were meant for other trees. Some species will send poison through the fungi to kill all surrounding trees and thus receive more nutrients. It is also very fragile. Cutting down trees that are in this system, puts all other trees at risk because they lose their vital sources of nutrients. New research suggests that these systems are also more effected by warming temperatures, making forests less stable as climate change warms the ground and the fungi.

Other communication methods

The mycorrhizal system may be the main way that trees communicate, but it isn’t the only way. The electric pulses can also travel through the air. Trees can smell, so some species let off a specific smell when distressed.

We hope you enjoyed learning about this incredible topic.

Your Green World Blog Team💚

Image:

Whakarewarewa Forest Biking, owned by TheOlsonFive! Olson (on flickr.com) is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Sources:

https://letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/stem-in-context/talking-trees-how-do-trees-communicate

https://localtreeestimates.com/how-do-trees-communicate/#Osmosis
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/09/230921154458.htm

Comments

10 Animals on the Edge of Extinction No. 10- The Javan Rhino

The Javan rhino is listed as the 1st animal on WWF’s list of the 10 world’s most endangered animals, and I for my part, had never heard of it! If you hadn’t either, we’re changing that now. A bit about the rhino’s lifestyle The Javan rhinos are now exclusively found on the island of Java in Indonesia, but were once found in vast regions of northeast india and Southeast Asia. They have a dark grey colour which looks almost black when wet, and their (often pink) skin folds look a bit like plated armor. Both males and females have lower incisors which resemble tusks that they use to fight. Males have one relatively short horn of about 25 cm (10 inches). Javan Rhinos live in tropical forests, marshy areas and in the thick bush. They are mainly browsers and eat over 100 plants species they find in the forest, weigh between 900 and 2300 kg (1984-5071 pounds) and are between 3 and 3.2 meters (10- 10.5 feet) long. How endangered are we talking? Javan rhinos are the most ...

Linking climate change and inequality - 'The Great Carbon Divide'

Hey everyone, Have you heard of 'The great carbon divide‘? It is often referred to as the 'carbon footprint gap' or the 'emissions imbalance‘, and produces frightening numbers. The great carbon divide describes the huge gap between the amount of carbon dioxide the rich versus the poor emit, and these numbers shocked even us. What does this mean? There have been many different studies, and all of them show terrifying results. One study from the Guardian and Oxfam, reports that the richest 1% of the world's population emit more carbon than the poorest 66%. The richest 1% consist of 77 million people, which may seem like a lot at first, but the poorest 66% refers to over 5 billion people! Africa, which is home to 17% of the world's population, only causes 4% of the world's emissions. This top 1% emitted 16% of global CO2 emissions in 2019, that's 5.9 billion tonnes of CO2. Modelling suggests that it would take someone who isn't in the top 1% about 150...

Amazon Rainforest series - part 2: eco system and food chains

Welcome back to our Amazon mini-series! Today, we're going to talk about the eco system and food chains of the Amazon Rainforest. The eco system is very complex. If you read our last Amazon post you will know the great number of species that call the Amazon Rainforest home. The Amazon Rainforest is a very accurate name for it. Massive amounts of rain fall on the forest every year. Most of that rain is blown in from the Atlantic Ocean. The rest comes from evaporation. The rainforest is known to be full of life. It provides one of the last refuges for jaguars , harpy eagles and pink river dolphins . But the rainforest is home to many more animals than that. Everyone has heard of poison dart frogs right? In fact, the Amazon Rainforest contains 1 in 10 of all known animal species on Earth! That's a lot of animals! The Amazon is home to over 1 000 species of birds, from hummingbirds to eagles. Macaws are probably the most well...

Animals 21-25 in our '50 incredible animals' series

Hi Everyone! Here are the next five animals in our current series! We hope you learn something from this. 21. Stick insect Stick insects are masters of disguise. They look like twigs or leaves. This strange appearance makes them hard to spot when stationary. Stick insects are herbivores, feeding on leaves, and can live for up to three years. Their habitat includes most tropical and subtropical regions, but there are a few species that live in temperate areas as well. There are roughly 3 000 different stick insect species! Not much more is known about them, because they are difficult to find. The two main threats to their populations are the pet trade and people killing them so as to frame their carcasses, like butterflies. Their conservation status ranges from critically endangered to least concern - so basically every category that is on the list! 22. Glass frog The glass frog is, well, see through. You can literally ...

The Amazon Rainforest series-part 4: The diligent population checker: The killer fungus

Hi everyone, Today we have a very special post for you. This is our very first guest blogging post. Casandra Chikanele has written an amazing post about the Amazon rainforest. This post is therefore the 4th part in the Amazon rainforest series. Enjoy! Your Green World Team💚 The Amazon rainforest is a diverse and wildlife intense site. Home to thousands of species of animals, insects, reptiles, and all living forms including plants and microbial entities. 1/3 of all species live in this cradle of life. About 2.5 million species of ants, one thousand three hundred species of birds, four hundred and thirty species of mammals, and many more. This environment houses quite a numerous amount of living things, predators and prey, families, and bachelors. A place with such a diverse ecosystem, where new offspring is constantly brought forth. Some species reproduce in little numbers, while others reproduce in hundreds or thousands every few ...

Heatwaves - what's so bad about them?

Hi everyone, Today we’re talking about heatwaves and what effects they have on us and the environment. Heatwaves are becoming ever more common, with 2023 breaking multiple world records. In China, 52.2°C were recorded at one point and the coastal waters near Florida, USA, were as warm as a hot tub. This is because of the combination of climate change and El Niño , both of which make the effects of the other worse. But we can’t push the blame onto El Niño. When analysed it became clear that without human made climate change the USA heat records would have been almost impossible. So what exactly are the effects of such high temperatures. A study in Europe found that the 2022 heatwave possibly caused over 70 000 heat related deaths. Although it is sometimes hard to tell whether or not someone died from the heat or from something else, after analysing the data the team found that their original estimate of 62 000 people (which is still a lot) was probably ...

Autumn Leaves: The science behind one of the most beautiful seasons

Hi everyone! We know that at the time this post is being published it will still be August, and the height of summer here in the Northern Hemisphere, but within the next two months or so, autumn will well and truly be upon us. So, today, we thought we could talk a bit about the science behind this beautiful season. Thinking of autumn automatically brings to mind images of crisp mornings, cosy evenings, and of the picturesque falling leaves with their hues of red, orange, yellow and gold. The change of colour of these leaves marks a change of seasons, and the decreasing temperature and light levels that goes along with that. But why do these leaves lose their greenness and fall from the trees? Trees' leaves contain a chemical called chlorophyll which allows them to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose, or sugars, through a process called photosynthesis . This is how they gain energy from sunlight. Chlorophyll is green in colour, ...

Deforestation and why it’s a problem

Hi everyone, Welcome back to another post. Today we’ll be talking about deforestation and its impacts on our earth. Deforestation, the widespread clearance of natural forests, has been happening for thousands of years. One example is Western Europe, where, two millennia ago, 80% of the land was cloaked in dense forest cover. However, over time, a significant portion of this green expanse was sacrificed to create room for crops, livestock grazing, and as a source of fuel and building materials. Presently, a mere 34% of Western Europe retains its woodland. Today, the tropics deal with the brunt of deforestation. Activities such as mining, agriculture, road construction, and the establishment of vast cattle ranches drive the mass clearance of tropical rainforests. This results in the release of huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, exacerbating the global climate crisis. The consequences come in two waves: first, the reduced number of...

10 animals on the edge of extinction you didn't know about no.3- The Monarch butterfly

The monarch butterfly is an animal you will probably have seen around in your life. It's not the kind of animal you will know the name of, much less the extinction status, but the monarch butterfly is rated "endangered" on the WWF website. It's affected by climate change and humans and its numbers have declined greatly. Fast Facts The Monarch Butterfly is a rather small animal, however pretty large for one of its species. Their wingspan ranges from about 90 to 100 mm, the male butterflies being slightly larger than the female. They are orange with a black patterning and white dots on the sides of their wings, the vibrant colours warn predators of their bad taste. Monarch butterflies are known for their migration habits. They are mainly found in northern America, but travel to the south (Mexico or California mainly) to hibernate. These tiny butterflies travel almost 3 thousand kilometres and can be found all over the planet by now...

What to do if a House Plant doesn't look Healthy (top tips) || Green Pets

Hi Everyone! Today I wanted to talk about what you should do if your house plants do not look healthy, and how important it is to be flexible around looking after house plants, how changing plans can be very important in keeping your house plants healthy. By not healthy, I mean a plant that has yellowed leaves, dried leaves or is looking droopy. Recently, some of my plants haven't been doing so well either, which has been very frustrating. Here are a few things I am doing to try to change this. **Disclaimer: I am not an expert. I am just a passionate plant mum from Somerset, England and I just want to share some tips. ** 1. Research, research, research I've been collecting information on each of my house plants and trying to match the recommendations for each of the plants. I recently visited Tresco Abbey Gardens on the Isles of Scilly, and I bought a book about how to look after house plants, which I have been using, but the ...

Green World

Search This Blog