Answer:
What are mycorrhizal fungi?
- Mycorrhizal fungi are critical members of the plant microbiome, forming a symbiosis with the roots of most plants on Earth.
What type of relationship do mycorrhizal fungi have with plants?
- Mycorrhizae: The Symbiotic Relationship between Fungi and Roots. These conditions are very common; therefore, most plants rely on fungi to facilitate the uptake of minerals from the soil. Mycorrhizae, known as root fungi, form symbiotic associations with plant roots.
Why do scientists refer to this network as the "Wood Wide Web"?
- Scientists call the fungi the Wood Wide Web because 'adult' trees can share sugars to younger trees, sick trees can send their remaining resources back into the network for others, and they can communicate with each other about dangers like insect infestations.
How do mycorrhizal fungi help plants communicate?
- Plants communicate via mycorrhizal networks with other plants of the same or different species. Mycorrhizal networks allow for the transfers of signals and cues between plants which influence the behavior of the connected plants by inducing morphological or physiological changes.
In what ways can the network work against certain plants?
- Since then, scientists have learned that they also help plants locate water and provide certain nutrients through mycelia strands around their roots. The fungal networks protect plants from infection too, by providing protective compounds, stored in the roots, which are triggered should the plant be attacked.
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Step-by-step explanation: