Forest Communication Isn't Fantasy

Do you think forest communication is just fantasy?

It’s not—fungal threads link tree roots underground, and water, nutrients, and chemical signals really do move along them. Scientists call these “common mycorrhizal networks.” Whether the trees are choosing to share is still being argued over. I just call them forest magic. ✨

Have you heard of mycorrhizal networks?

Sources

• Common Mycorrhizae Network—a review of the theories and mechanisms behind underground interactions — Frontiers in Fungal Biology 2021, on what the networks are and what they do
• Positive citation bias and overinterpreted results lead to misinformation on common mycorrhizal networks in forests — Karst, Jones & Hoeksema 2023, Nature Ecology & Evolution
• Belowground carbon transfer across mycorrhizal networks among trees—facts, not fantasy — the reply arguing the transfer evidence is stronger than Karst et al. allow

Sources checked 2026-08-12.