十万个为什么·科学启蒙30篇（1）
20 / 30
正在校验访问权限...
How Do Plants 'Talk' to Each Other Underground?
植物如何在地下‘交谈’？
-
Plants send chemical signals through tiny fungal threads called mycorrhizae.
-
These invisible networks connect roots of different plants like a natural internet.
-
When one plant is attacked by insects, it releases warning chemicals into the soil.
-
Nearby plants detect these signals and start making defensive compounds early.
-
Some trees even share nutrients with younger or weaker neighbors through this web.
-
Scientists discovered this by tracking radioactive carbon moving between connected trees.
-
The fungi benefit too—they receive sugars from the plants in return.
-
This cooperation helps entire forests survive droughts and pests more effectively.
-
Not all plants join; some species avoid or even block the network.
-
It shows that cooperation, not just competition, shapes plant communities.