Tree Mail in the Wood Wide Web

Many people believe that it is a good thing to talk to plants. (If you hear them answering, that may be a problem.) It's good for you to get outside (watching out for ticks and dangerous critters, of course), but most of us don't realize that there's a passel of communication happening.

Image made with assembled graphics from Clker clipart

We looked at an internal tree-mail system a spell back, but the story has grown quite a bit. Trees are sending helpful information to each other and getting cooperation, and sending requests to local fungi to provide them with nutrients. The system is actually quite intricate, and defies evolution because every aspect must be in place and fully operational from the beginning. This tree-mail system is yet another example of the design and provision of our Creator.

Stresses constantly threaten to destroy the forest’s surface harmony, and yet modern scientific research is revealing how marvelously the Creator has equipped His woodlands to respond to these stresses, keeping alive these reminders of harmony that once existed and will be restored someday through Christ.

Researchers are discovering that trees form communities that “talk” to each other, sharing their needs and providing mutual assistance. Yes, you heard me correctly. It’s mindboggling, even for someone like me who has spent his life studying nature’s wonders (forest ecology in particular).

To read the entire article, click on "Talking Trees — Secrets of Plant Communication". Also, for an article on cell biology and the genetics involved, click on "Plant Email System Described".