Trees and fungi have been friends for millions of years, but scientists are only just beginning to unravel the secrets of their partnership.
Trees might seem like the type who prefer to keep to themselves, but beneath your feet they are busy forming secret relationships with vast networks of underground fungi.
Among the busy mites and microbes, you'd be surrounded by dozens of tree roots wearing ghostly white "socks". As they branch out into the soil, the hyphae release special enzymes that turn hard-to-access nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous into forms that the tree can readily consume, Dr May says.In exchange for their nutrient-scavenging efforts, host trees send their fungal partners a pay cheque of sugar and carbonYou can sometimes see mycorrhizal fungi above ground, like this Pisolithus fruiting body.
Trees are generous hosts, providing a home for dozens of species of mycorrhizal fungi that each have a role to play.
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