The Wonders of the Wood Wide Web

The wood-wide web is a concept developed by Suzanne Simard, who is a professor of forest ecology at UBC, and author of The Mother Tree. She developed this concept when she discovered that trees and plants, rather than existing separately, are interconnected under the ground. Much like we human beings are connected on one of our social networks – the internet.

Professor Simard has conducted numerous pioneering studies showing that mycorrhizal fungal networks can connect to the roots of plants and trees in vast underground networks that can span hundreds of feet, and in some cases, hundreds of smiles.

These fungal networks, comprised of delicate mycelium threads, can allow trees to:

1. Communicate with each other. So they can warn each other of impending dangers such as approaching storms or swarms of harmful insects, by (a) releasing chemicals into the air through their leaves and (b) sending ‘fear signals’ through their roots into the fungal networks, to let other trees in the neighbourhood know to be prepared.
2. Send nutrients to each other. So trees can send sugars and carbons to each other through the fungal networks. This is especially important for younger saplings (which, closer to the ground, may not have much sunlight, limiting their ability to photosynthesise and create nutrients for themselves) and trees that are sick or injured. Simard’s research highlighted in particular the important role of ‘mother trees’ (often the oldest, largest trees) in sending nutrients to saplings and sick trees. Fascinatingly, trees will not only send nutrients to their own species, but other species too, supporting the whole community.

Which is pretty amazing.

When I first learnt about the wood-wide web, it made me realise that trees are not that much different from humans – they support each other and talk to each other, just like we do.

It’s just that their social networks look a bit different to ours!