Beneath every forest lies an underground fungal network connecting trees in a biological internet that shares nutrients, transmits danger warnings, and creates collective resilience far beyond what individual trees could achieve alone.
Crown shyness is the mysterious phenomenon where trees maintain visible gaps between their canopies, creating fracture patterns of light in forest ceilings. Scientists now understand it results from wind-induced collisions, light sensing through photoreceptors, and possibly chemical signaling—trees actively detect neighbors and adjust growth accordingly. These gaps serve as natural firebreaks, reduce pest and pathogen spread, and create light mosaics that boost understory biodiversity. Surpri...
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