According to science, trees are able to communicate with each other

Although humanity’s progress has caused, in many cases, a series of damages to the Environment, one of the positive aspects of the advancement of science and technology is that, more and more, we can understand animals and plants in depth and , thus working for the survival of some species. In this sense, some recent studies have led to the same conclusion, which has left many people curious and amazed: trees are capable of hearing and even of feeling.

Yes, you read correctly. But this does not occur in the same way as in us humans and animals. Nor is it a fantasy like in the movie Avatar.

O awesome.club will show, in this post, how trees are able to maintain “conversations” with each other.

What we see above ground, its trunks, branches and leaves, is just part of forest ecosystems. According to a study carried out by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, there is an information network under the earth, which responds to external stimuli.

Through different substances, the various species of plants that coexist in each ecosystem are able to communicate with each other. This means that if they encounter any kind of danger, such as a pest, they can alert other trees in the “community” so that they can prepare their defense systems. And all this happens under our eyes, underground.

Professor Suzanne Simard, from the University of British Columbia, in Canada, carried out another study in which she discovered how the roots are a fundamental part of the intercommunication of trees in Canadian forests. Thanks to this, large communication networks are created under the ground, allowing the trees to pass nutrients, water and protection to plants that need them, in case there is a hostile environment on the surface.

In this scenario, the oldest plants in a forest are known as “mother trees”. Thanks to this communication, they are able to help the younger ones to grow. A study by the University of the Sunshine Coast, in Queensland, Australia, showed that, through the roots, younger plants receive information and supplies from older ones. This is done through elements such as coal.

They receive them in amounts that help them improve their defenses and develop better conditions to face the challenges presented by the outside world, such as plagues or changes in the climate. As with some more developed species of animals, the help of the mothers amounts to a kind of teaching for the younger ones. This “knowledge” regarding environmental conditions, fundamental for the survival of species, is transmitted from generation to generation.

Among the substances and nutrients that plants share in their “conversations” through their roots are lipids—basically a form of fat. And those responsible for acting in this case are fungi, which facilitate the metabolism of these lipids by plants. Fungi form on the surface thanks to high humidity in tree roots.

When metabolized, lipids are converted into a substance known as oxylipin, responsible for regulating some plant responses to situations such as stress caused by pathogenic attacks or toxic agents. In addition, these substances strengthen their defenses and help regulate pollination.

According to the study by Professor Suzanne (from Canada), this communication between plants creates an environment that generates changes in their behavior, defenses and genetics. Networks manifest themselves in entire ecosystems, not just in small plant communities that send and receive messages all the time to strengthen and boost their reproduction. That is, communication between trees is centered on altruism and cooperation to preserve the lives of their neighbors and future generations.

Do you think we can learn something from trees? Should we change our behavior towards forests and parks? We want to read your comments.