An article · Nature & Wonder
The Secret Language of Trees
Beneath a forest floor runs a quiet network of roots and fungi, carrying food and even warnings between trees.
A forest looks like a crowd of strangers standing apart. Underground, it is anything but. Fine threads of fungi weave through the soil and link root to root, forming a web that scientists have affectionately nicknamed the wood wide web.
Trees that share
Through this network, older trees send sugar to shaded seedlings. A tree under attack by insects can release signals that warn its neighbours to raise their defences. The forest, it turns out, behaves a little like a single, slow, generous community.
Next time you stand among trees, remember: the most interesting conversation is the one happening beneath your feet.
Take a closer lookWhat lies beneath a forest?
A forest above ground. The trees look separate. A view of their trunks and leaves tells only part of the story.
A hidden reach. Roots spread through the soil, taking up water and nutrients and anchoring each tree.
Another layer of connections. Fine fungal threads associate with roots and can connect different plants. These relationships vary between species and places.
A simplified illustration, not a map of a particular forest.
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