One of the most amazing things about nature, to me, is something that almost seems straight out of a sci-fi movie. Look no further than James Cameron’s Avatar for proof that this concept has inspired movie makers and story tellers. In the movie, the Na’vi people tell the human protagonist that the trees on this fictional planet of Pandora are all connected: one living being instead of multiple disconnected individuals. We see many examples of this throughout the movie, with the viewer even being offered scenes containing glowing tree roots underground connecting other trees to the main Tree of Life, like in the photo below (Fandom, n.d.).
Caption: A scene from James Cameron’s Avatar showing glowing tree roots underground connecting other trees to the main Tree of Life.
One of the main scientists in the movie, Dr. Grace Augustine, says, “What we think we know - is that there's some kind of electrochemical communication between the roots of the trees. Like the synapses between neurons. Each tree has ten to the fourth connections to the trees around it...” (IMDb, n.d.).
But what if I told you Dr. Augustine was on to something... The link we understand about trees today isn’t 100% electric in nature, as Dr. Augustine suggested, but more fungal. Known as the mycorrhizal (pronounced like MY-koe-RYE-zull) network, tree roots (and indeed, almost all plant roots living in the Earth’s soil) are connected to each other through fungal mycelia.
“What are fungal mycelia?” you might be asking at this point. Which is a great question since even I, as someone who is talking to you about this, had to Google it to remind myself of the definition.
Fungal mycelia are defined as “the mass of branched, tubular hyphae of fungi” (Encyclopædia Britannica, 2025). Which.... I have to just say thank you SO MUCH, Britannica, for that definition, that’s not confusing at all.
So, without all the fancy scientist words, what does this mean? Essentially, mushrooms and fungi have networks of very thin, tube-like filaments that run throughout the fruiting body (or the part of the mushroom you see) and then into the ground around the network. In this way, Dr. Augustine had it right, because mycelia are very similar to our own neural networks.
Tree roots and fungi have a symbiotic relationship in which the fungi will attach to the tree roots to gain food made by the tree, and then the tree roots get both the fungally-foraged nutrients from the soil and a network that connects their roots to other tree roots around them (Gorzelak et al., 2015). Through these networks, trees can really talk to one another. They can warn each other about certain stressors like insect attacks or droughts or fires (Grant, 2018).
It’s even been speculated whether these fungal networks contribute to tree masting, a phenomenon that is not yet completely understood by scientists. Masting is when trees produce an abundance of seeds (or nuts, if you prefer). But it’s not just that one tree produces more, it’s every tree in every forest in an area (Shechet, 2023). How do oak trees in one area communicate to trees in another area to throw their all into acorn production that year? It’s still a bit of a mystery but I believe it’s because they talk to each other.
Another reason I like this topic of mycorrhizal networks and trees talking is because it’s symbolic, to me. Like our textbook says:
“People who understand the interconnectedness of things can foresee consequences and long-term impacts of their actions on this and future generations” (Beck et al., 2018).
Trees understand the big picture and can foresee long-term impacts to their actions. Masting years often come when small mammal populations are down. The abundance of food leads to a boom in squirrel, chipmunk, mice, raccoon and many other nut-eating animal populations. This, in turn, feeds predators like foxes, raptors, weasels, coyotes, etc.
Our textbook stresses that making connections is crucial to good interpreting. Trees make connections to other trees around them, other plants, the fungus itself, and the nutrients in the ground. If we turn that concept into an analogy for humans, I think it would mean that we need to be more connected to other animal species, other plants, each other (especially), and even the basic building blocks of our lives like the food we eat, the water we drink, and the soil that sustain us as well as the trees. Try to think about this connectedness the next time you step over a tree root on your nature walk or dig up a weed in your garden. How are you connected to other living and non-living things around you, like the mycorrhizal network of roots?
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Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing, Sagamore Venture.
Discuss everything about avatar wiki. Fandom. (n.d.). https://james-camerons-avatar.fandom.com/f
Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (2025, February 17). Mycelium. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/mycelium
Gorzelak, M. A., Asay, A. K., Pickles, B. J., & Simard, S. W. (2015). Inter-plant communication through mycorrhizal networks mediates complex adaptive behaviour in plant communities. AoB Plants, 7. https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plv050
Grant, R. (2018, March). Do trees talk to each other? | Smithsonian. Ask Smithsonian. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-whispering-trees-180968084/
IMDb.com. (n.d.). Avatar. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499549/quotes/
Shechet, E. (2023, November 27). The lingering mysteries of the Mast Year. Brooklyn Botanic Garden. https://www.bbg.org/article/the_mysteries_of_masting_in_trees#:~:text=Masting%20is%2C%20in%20short%2C%20the,roughly%20every%202%E2%80%935%20years.