Talk Leafy to Me: Tree Communication
Think about the last time you were in a forest - it might have been a bright, sunny day, or the mood may have been dim and damp. Regardless, you probably experienced a sense of peace and quiet while you were there. But did you know that there was communication happening all around you? Forest ecologist Suzanne Simard and others like her have been researching the communication connections between trees and other plants. While some critics say Simard is engaging in anthropomorphization (the ascribing of human attributes like emotions and intentions to non-human organisms), very little fault should be found with the use of the term "communication." After all, communication is simply the transfer of information. And in a forest, it turns out, a lot of information is being sent back and forth. How do trees communicate? It's all about being connected. The connections between trees can stretch for astounding distances, and just like fiber optic cables, they run under the ...