Tree communication is one of nature's most amazing secrets. Beneath every Czech forest lies a living underground network, nicknamed the "Wood Wide Web", through which trees pass on nutrients, water and warning signals – and they do it with the help of microscopic fungi. This guide takes you through three ways in which trees in a forest really "talk", and an educational quiz will test what you have learnt.
🌳 Quiz: Do you understand the secret language of trees?
Test how well you understand the underground world of the forest. Choose a difficulty level and find out how much you know about tree communication, mycorrhizal networks and chemical signals.
🌳 Looking for a gift made of natural wood? At AMADEA you will find handmade products made of wood from Czech forests – from decorations to kitchenware.
Visit AMADEAA guide to the secret life of trees: three ways of communicating
Science in recent decades has revealed that a forest is not just a competition for light and nutrients – it is a connected community. Trees help one another, warn each other of danger and nourish their offspring. How? Through three fascinating channels.
The mycorrhizal network – the underground internet of the forest (mycorrhiza)
The basis of forest communication is mycorrhiza – a mutually beneficial partnership between fungi and tree roots. The fungus grows into the roots or wraps around their surface and creates a dense network of threads (hyphae) that spread through the soil for many metres around each tree. The tree supplies the fungus with sugars from photosynthesis; in return, the fungus supplies the tree with phosphorus, nitrogen and water from areas the roots cannot reach on their own.
In Czech forests we most often meet the ectomycorrhizal type, formed by oak, beech, spruce, pine and birch. Their fungal partners are the well-known boletes, milkcaps, brittlegills and amanitas – which is why this cooperation is visible above ground too. Without mycorrhiza, many Czech forest trees could not survive on poor forest soils at all. If forest nature inspires you at home too, take a look at the wooden puzzles with animal and nature motifs from the AMADEA workshop.
Mother trees – the hubs of the network (mother trees)
At the heart of every healthy mycorrhizal network stands a mother tree – a large, old individual connected to dozens or hundreds of neighbours. The ecologist Suzanne Simard used carbon isotopes in CO₂ to show that such trees pass carbon (in the form of sugars) to seedlings and weakened neighbours. In spring, before a birch has unfolded its leaves, it receives carbon from a Douglas fir that gives it a "boost" for photosynthesis. Conversely, a Douglas fir growing in the shade draws sugars from the birch until it can provide for itself.
Even more surprisingly, research suggests that mother trees can recognise their own offspring and send them more nutrients than unrelated seedlings of the same species. Scientists have also observed that a dying tree may sharply increase the transfer of resources into the network – as if passing on its estate to its descendants. In the Czech Republic, the role of mother trees is played above all by old beeches and oaks in natural primeval forests, such as the Boubín or Žofín primeval forests in South Bohemia.
Chemical signals in the air – a volatile warning network (volatile organic compounds – VOCs)
The second channel of communication is the air. When insects attack a tree, the damaged part quickly starts producing volatile organic compounds – especially terpenes such as α-pinene or β-caryophyllene. These substances spread through the air, and neighbouring trees can pick them up. In response to the signal, they increase their own production of defensive substances – tannins, resins or substances that attract the pest's natural enemies.
This mechanism has been demonstrated experimentally in a whole range of plants. An oak attacked by caterpillars produces more tannins, and neighbouring oaks a few metres away may trigger the same defences even before the caterpillars reach them. The spruce forests of the Krkonoše and the Šumava are a living example of how bark beetle outbreaks can overwhelm this chemical defence – stress from drought and pollution weakens the trees so much that their chemical communication fails. Wood from resilient trees such as oak or beech then finds its way to craftspeople – for example as kitchen boards from AMADEA.
Electrical impulses in roots – the third channel (root electrophysiology)
The least explored but fascinating channel is electrical signals in root tips. Research suggests that weak electrophysiological impulses travel between plant roots via mycorrhizal networks – similar to nerve impulses in animals. In this way, information about a pest attack may reach a neighbouring tree within hours rather than days. Research into plant electrophysiology is still in its infancy, but it raises questions about where the notion of "communication" in nature begins and ends.
The three most common misconceptions about tree communication
A mycorrhizal network is a complex ecosystem including fungal threads, bacteria and the roots of dozens to hundreds of different plant species. It is not just "fungi on roots" but a functioning network that transfers nutrients and information across whole hectares.
Research has shown that mycorrhizal networks also connect different species – for example birches and Douglas firs, or spruces and firs. Carbon sharing and pest warnings can take place between trees of different species too.
Mother trees are key hubs of the network. Once they are felled, seedlings no longer receive nutrients from the underground network, which significantly slows down the regeneration of the forest. That is why a forest with old trees left standing grows more healthily than a clear-cut with new planting.
A comparison of the types of tree communication
| Type of communication | Medium | Speed | Range | Typical trees in Czechia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🍄 Mycorrhizal network | Fungal threads in the soil | Hours to days | Whole forest (hundreds of m) | Oak, beech, spruce, pine, birch |
| 💨 Volatile compounds (VOCs) | Air | Minutes to hours | Tens of metres | All trees, especially conifers |
| ⚡ Electrical impulses | Roots + fungal threads | Hours | Connected neighbouring trees | Under research |
| 🌱 Root grafts | Direct root connection | Continuously | Neighbouring individuals | Beech, spruce (observed in stumps) |
Frequently asked questions about tree communication
How do trees in a forest communicate with each other?
Trees communicate in three main ways: through underground mycorrhizal networks (fungal threads connecting roots), through chemical signals in the air (volatile terpenes) and through weak electrical impulses spreading through roots. None of these processes is conscious – they are complex biochemical and physical processes that nevertheless work as a functional information system.
What is a mycorrhizal network and how does it form?
A mycorrhizal network forms when fungal threads (hyphae) grow through the soil and connect to the roots of two or more trees. The network keeps growing and can link whole stands of forest. The fungi receive sugars from the trees, and in return the trees gain access to nutrients and water from places their roots cannot reach.
How do trees warn their neighbours about insects?
An attacked tree starts producing volatile chemicals (terpenes) that spread through the air. Neighbouring trees pick up these signals and trigger their own defensive reactions – they increase their production of tannins, resins or substances that attract the pest's natural enemies. Warnings may also spread through the underground mycorrhizal network.
Why are old trees important in the forest?
Old mother trees are central hubs of the mycorrhizal network. They supply young trees with nutrients, pass on biochemical signals and, when they die, release their accumulated nutrients into the network for their neighbours. A forest in which old trees are left standing regenerates much faster and more resiliently than a clear-cut. If the natural wood of old forest trees appeals to you, discover AMADEA's wooden home decorations made of Czech oak and beech.
Where can I find wooden products inspired by Czech forests?
AMADEA makes handmade wooden products from native woods – oak, beech, alder, lime and other trees that form the heart of Czech forests. From wooden puzzles and candle holders to kitchen boards – every product carries the story of a particular tree from Czech nature.
🌳 Looking for a gift made of natural wood? At AMADEA you will find handmade products made of wood from Czech forests – from decorations to kitchenware.
Visit AMADEAAuthor: Martin Portych – specialist in wooden products, gift advice and shop content
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