The secret language of trees - Camille Defrenne and Suzanne Simard

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Carol Wang

Most of the forest lives in the shadow of the giants

森林的大部分地區，

都活在巨人形成的樹冠層陰影底下。

that make up the highest canopy.

These are the oldest trees,

巨人就是最古老的樹木，

with hundreds of children and thousands of grandchildren.

有數以百計的孩子， 和數以千計的孫子。

They check in with their neighbors, sharing food, supplies,

它們會關心鄰居近況， 分享食物、補給品，

and wisdom gained over their long lives.

以及漫長一生所學到的智慧。

They do all this rooted in place, unable to speak, reach out, or move around.

它們紮根在同一個地方做上述這些，

無法說話、伸手，或移動。

The secret to their success lies under the forest floor,

它們成功的秘密， 藏在森林的地面底下，

where vast root systems support the towering trunks above.

地下廣大的樹根系統 支持著上方擎天的樹幹。

Partnering with these roots are symbiotic fungi called mycorrhizae.

和這些樹根合作的， 是共生真菌，叫做菌根。

These fungi have countless branching, thread-like hyphae

這些真菌有無數 像線一樣的菌絲分岔出去，

that together make up the mycelium.

一起形成了菌絲體。

The mycelium spreads across a much larger area than the tree root system

菌絲體散佈的範圍 比樹根系統還要廣大許多，

and connect the roots of different trees together.

並會將不同樹木的樹根連結在一起。

These connections form mycorrhizal networks.

這些連結便形成了菌根網路。

Through mycorrhizal networks,

透過菌根網路，

fungi can pass resources and signaling molecules between trees.

真菌可以在樹與樹之間 傳遞資源和傳訊分子。

We know the oldest trees have the largest mycorrhizal networks

我們知道，最古老的樹木 有最大的菌根網路，

with the most connections to other trees,

且和其他樹木有最多的連結，

but these connections are incredibly complicated to trace.

但這些連結非常複雜，難以追蹤。

That’s because there are about a hundred species of mycorrhizal fungi–

原因是因為菌根真菌就有上百種——

and an individual tree might be colonized by dozens of different fungal organisms,

且一棵樹木就可能有數十種 不同的真菌有機體定殖，

each of which connects to a unique set of other trees,

每一種真菌所連結到的 其他樹木又都不一樣，

which in turn each have their own unique set of fungal associations.

連結到的樹木 所關聯的真菌又不同。

To get a sense of how substances flow through this network,

若想了解物質 如何在這個網路中流動，

let’s zoom in on sugars,

我們先把糖放大來看，

as they travel from a mature tree to a neighboring seedling.

看看糖怎麼從成熟的樹木 移動到鄰近的幼苗。

Sugar’s journey starts high above the ground,

糖的旅程從離地面 非常高的地方開始，

in the leaves of the tallest trees above the canopy.

在樹冠層之上， 最高之樹木的樹葉中。

The leaves use the ample sunlight up there to create sugars through photosynthesis.

樹葉運用上面的充足陽光， 透過光合作用來製造糖。

This essential fuel then travels through the tree

接著，這種基本的 能量來源會透過樹木，

to the base of the trunk in the thick sap.

移動至樹幹的基部， 到濃濃的樹液之中。

From there, sugar flows down to the roots.

從那裡，糖便向下流向樹根。

Mycorrhizal fungi encounter the tips of the roots

菌根真菌碰到樹根的尖端時，

and either surround or penetrate the outer root cells,

可能會包圍或是穿透外圍根細胞，

depending on the type of fungi.

依真菌的類別而異。

Fungi cannot produce sugars, though they need them for fuel just like trees do.

真菌無法產生糖，

但它們跟樹木一樣， 需要糖來當作能量來源，

They can, however,

然而，比起樹根，

collect nutrients from the soil much more efficiently than tree roots—

它們從土壤收集營養物的 效率高很多——

and pass these nutrients into the tree roots.

且會將這些營養物傳送到樹根中。

In general,

一般來說，

substances flow from where they are more abundant to where they are less abundant,

物質會從比較多的地方 流向比較少的地方，

or from source to sink.

或從供源流向積貯。

That means that the sugars flow from the tree roots into the fungal hyphae.

這就表示，糖會從樹根 流向真菌菌絲。

Once the sugars enter the fungus,

一旦糖進入真菌中，

they travel along the hyphae through pores between cells

它們就會延著菌絲， 穿過細胞之間的氣孔，

or through special hollow transporter hyphae.

或穿過特殊的中空運輸菌絲。

The fungus absorbs some of the sugars,

真菌會吸收一些糖，

but some travels on and enters the roots of a neighboring tree,

但有些糖會繼續移動， 進入到鄰近樹木的樹根，

a seedling that grows in the shade and has less opportunity

到在陰影下成長、比較沒有機會

to photosynthesize sugars.

行光合作用產生糖的幼苗。

But why does fungus transport resources from tree to tree?

但，真菌為什麼會把資源 從一棵樹輸送到另一棵樹？

This is one of the mysteries of the mycorrhizal networks.

這是菌根網路的謎之一。

It makes sense for fungus to exchange soil nutrients and sugar with a tree—

真菌和樹木用土壤中的營養物 和糖來做交換是合理的——

both parties benefit.

雙方都受益。

The fungus likely benefits in less obvious ways from being part of a network

真菌扮演樹木間之網路的一部分， 受益的方式可能比較不明顯，

between trees, but the exact ways aren’t totally clear.

但究竟是什麼方式，我們還不清楚。

Maybe the fungus benefits from having connections

也許真菌獲益的方式是盡可能

with as many different trees as possible,

去連結最多樹木，

and maximizes its connections by shuttling molecules between trees.

並在樹木之間運送分子 來將它的連結最大化。

Or maybe plants reduce their contributions to fungi

或者，也許當真菌不協助 促進樹木之間的交換時，

if the fungi don’t facilitate exchanges between trees.

植物就會減少其對真菌的貢獻。

Whatever the reasons,

不論是什麼理由，

these fungi pass an incredible amount of information between trees.

這些真菌在樹木之間 傳遞的資訊量非常龐大。

Through the mycorrhizae, trees can tell when nutrients or signaling molecules

透過菌根，樹木能夠 分辨出營養物或傳訊分子

are coming from a member of their own species or not.

是否來自它們自己的同類。

They can even tell when information is coming from a close relative

它們甚至能分辨資訊是否來自近親，

like a sibling or parent.

比如手足或父母。

Trees can also share information about events like drought

樹木還能透過它們的 真菌網路來分享資訊，

or insect attacks through their fungal networks,

比如乾旱或昆蟲攻擊，

causing their neighbors to increase production of protective enzymes

讓它們的鄰居能夠 在預知威脅的情況下

in anticipation of threats.

增加保護性酵素的產量。

The forest’s health relies on these intricate communications and exchanges.

森林的健康，要仰賴 這些複雜的溝通和交換。

With everything so deeply interconnected,

因為一切都有很深的相互連結，

what impacts one species is bound to impact others.

對一種物種的影響， 也勢必會影響到其他物種。