New Israeli research shows that trees in the forest transfer substances between them through their roots, with the kind help of underground fungi
Yoni Weitz, Angle - news agency for science and the environment
We are used to thinking of the trees living next to each other in the forest, in the grove or even in the public garden as independent and "lonely" plants, which do not communicate with each other and certainly do not transfer materials to their neighbors. However, in recent years a different picture is emerging, according to which trees "talk" to each other, conveying messages and even food to each other. A new Israeli study presents evidence for the first time that trees in the forest transfer materials to each other through their roots - and they don't do it alone.
Dr. Tamir Klein, a researcher at the Agricultural Research Administration-Volcani Institute, joined a research team in the Swiss forests led by Christian Kirner from the University of Basel. Using a set of experiments, the two tested how trees in the forest transfer carbon between them through the root system. "The tangled root systems of nearby trees create a network through which materials can pass," explains Klein. "Although carbon transfer between plant roots has been known for 40 years, so far carbon transfer has only been detected in laboratory or field experiments, which include planting plants. This has not yet been tested in natural habitats." The research findings were recently published in the prestigious science journal, and will be presented at the annual conference on science and the environment, which will be held in Tel Aviv on June 21-23.
track the carbon
The forest in Switzerland consists of different species, the so-called "mixed forest". The spruce trees are the tall trees found in the "roof" of the forest, and next to them are beech, cedar and pine trees. The tall spruce trees, exposed to sunlight, carry out photosynthesis and produce carbon compounds from the carbon dioxide found in the atmosphere that are used for their development.
Klein and his friends placed tubes above the tops of the tall trees, and through them released "labeled" carbon dioxide - a substance that can be identified and tracked along the plant to the roots. Thus they hoped to see if it eventually reaches only the tall trees that received it, or also to their neighbors, trees of other species.
"The results obtained were extremely surprising," says Klein. "A large percentage of the total carbon found in the fine roots was marked, even in the roots of the trees that did not fix the marked carbon. This is evidence of the transfer of carbon between the trees through the roots, even between trees of different species." The numbers are amazing: 40 percent of the carbon found in the delicate roots came from other trees, an amount equal to 280 kg of carbon per year on a forest area of ten dunams.
with the help of the mushrooms
How does the carbon transfer actually occur? Klein and his colleagues hypothesize that this is related to another organism found between the roots of trees - mycorrhizal fungi. These fungi, which are found in the soil, live in a reciprocal relationship with the trees: they benefit from the carbon contributed by the trees, and in turn help the trees in a variety of processes. Until now, it was known that various fungi help the tree by supplying minerals and even contribute to the plant's water balance, that is, they protect it from drying out. This study adds an important role to them - transferring carbon from tree to tree, probably for the benefit of expanding their web network.
And why should trees "share" the carbon with their neighbors? The hypothesis is that in conditions of drought, cold and fire, the tree species linked in the network enjoy the advantage of the "safety net" over other species, which are limited in their carbon sources.
The research of Klein and his partners may change the concept of ecological research regarding the interrelationships between different trees in the forest. The dominant concept of competition for resources such as light, water and nutrients also gives way to complex processes related to positive interactions between neighboring trees, and between them and the hidden fungi in the soil.
The research was presented at the annual conference for science and the environment, which will be held at Tel Aviv University on June 21-23.
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Therefore, he has difficulty processing the information that reaches him from his eyes.
scientist,
From a quick reading on the subject, I understood that a lazy eye is created as a result of distorted information reaching the vision center in the brain (due to strabismus or another physical problem in the eye) or due to the fact that for all kinds of reasons the vision center did not have time to develop in the child's first years and as a result he has difficulty processing the information that reaches him from the eyes.
I don't think it has to do with a slower flow of information.
opponent to your question,
A person with amblyopia ("lazy eye") has information that flows more slowly and of a lower quality, therefore there is a gap in the arrival of information and its quality to the brain, compared to an eye with full function.
It is certainly possible to get some vision with a lazy eye (depending on the hardware), but of poor quality with slower processing.
Anyone who remembers, in the movie Avatar the trees in Pandora will be connected to each other through a complex system of roots underground, when each tree is like a neuron and the entire forest is one giant mind with consciousness ("Iowa").
It is interesting by the way if consciousness can be created even when the communication between the neurons is much slower, if for example the pulses between the nerve cells in our brain were 1000 times slower, would consciousness still be created in our brain? An intriguing question, in my opinion the answer is positive, only that our thinking was much slower.
First, nice for the research and publication!
In my humble opinion there is no secret in the way of life of the trees and plants.
We humans are an evolved and curious species that in most cases differentiates our life from the rest of life on Earth.
There are trees such as the catalb tree that cannot grow without the world of fungi in its roots.
The sophisticated simplicity amazes us and so does the world of fungi and the ability of trees and plants to communicate.
Pursue the research