Plant Communication: Common Mycorrhizal Networks (CMNs)
- Sylvia Rose
- 33 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Common mycorrhizal networks form through symbiotic relationships of fungi and plant roots. By enabling communication and interaction under the soil, CMNs influence plant health and ecosystem stability.
Nature's high-speed data network is powered by fungi. CMNs are vast, interconnected webs of fungal hyphae, or tiny, thread-like filaments. They colonize the roots of many plants.
The hyphae physically link plants, often of different species, through a shared fungal partner. This biological connection speeds the exchange of resources and information.
Mycorrhizae
Mycorrhizal fungi establish mutually beneficial relationships with the roots of most terrestrial plants. In exchange for carbohydrates produced by plants, mycorrhizal fungi improve the plants' abilities to absorb water and nutrients.
CMNs form when fungal hyphae make contact with plant roots. After establishing a connection, the hyphae penetrate root cells, creating arbuscules and vesicles for nutrient exchange.
A mycorrhizal network can connect dozens of plants. They share resources and communicate. The fungi, often of the Glomeromycota, Ascomycota, or Basidiomycota phyla, become an extension of the plant's root system.
They develop in diverse plant communities. Areas with at least five different plant species have a higher likelihood of CMN formation than those dominated by one or two.
The effectiveness of the networks is influenced by environmental factors like soil quality and plant variety. Specific fungal species must be present.
The fungal hyphae are longer and thinner than plant roots. They can access nutrients and micronutrients otherwise unavailable. They also improve water uptake, a bonus in dry conditions.
Fruiting bodies may sometimes be seen as fairy rings around trees. The "tethered" ring is connected to the roots of the tree. Many plants rely on mycorrhizae for survival.
Benefits of a Fungal Connection
Plants connected by a CMN transfer carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and water between them. This helps seedlings, stressed plants, or those in nutrient-deficient areas.
Larger, healthier plants feed their weaker neighbors. Plants uptake nitrogen primarily through their roots, in the form of nitrate (NO3-) or ammonium (NH4+). Nitrate is the most common form.
During dry periods, CMNs help connected plants get water. Certain fungi are a water source as well. Plants linked through CMNs survive drought better than isolated plants.
CMNs encourage diverse plant species. Plants within these networks show improved growth and reproductive success.
The fungal networks transmit warning signals between plants. If one plant is attacked it can send a chemical signal through the CMN to alerting neighboring plants so they can activate their defenses.
CMNs shape plant communities by influencing plant growth, competition, and resilience under stress. The interconnections provided by CMNs help keep ecosystems stable.
When environmental conditions fluctuate, such as during droughts or pest outbreaks, connected plants share resources to help maintain a balanced ecosystem. In soil, CMNs promote organic matter decomposition and improve nutrient cycling.
Threats to CMNs
Land Use
Urbanization, agriculture, and deforestation disrupt plant communities and their mycorrhizal networks. Habitat fragmentation can isolate plant species, preventing formation of CMNs.
Chemical Inputs
Excess use of fertilizers and pesticides can degrade fungal health and disrupt CMNs. Chemicals diminish the ability of plants to connect through mycorrhizae.
Climate Change
Changes in temperature and rainfall patterns disrupt plant dynamics and affect CMN formation and function. Altered precipitation patterns are linked to a decline in effective mycorrhizal networks.
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