The Secret Fungal Network

After a warm rain shower, the Wusel Forest smelled of damp earth. At a naturally exposed edge of soil beside an old tree root, Puschel noticed very fine pale threads among moss and fallen leaves. Neither of them dug or moved anything aside.

Puschel“A secret woodland post office! Messages must travel from root to root through here.”

Flauschi knelt beside him. Puschel held the green explorer’s magnifying glass close to the ground without touching the threads. They ran between crumbs of soil and tiny roots before disappearing beneath the moss.

Flauschi“That is not a postal line. It is probably a network of fungal threads. Many fungi are mostly made of these fine threads. One thread is called a hypha.”

Puschel glanced at the small mushroom caps nearby. Flauschi explained that the caps we see are only one part of a fungus. Much more of it may grow hidden in soil or wood.

Puschel“Then the mushroom caps are just the noses of an enormous underground wusel!”

Flauschi explained that some fungi and plant roots help each other. The fungal threads collect water and minerals from the soil. Minerals are tiny things the plant needs to grow. In return, the plant gives the fungus sugar it made with the help of sunlight. This teamwork is called mycorrhiza.

Flauschi“They help one another without even shaking paws. That is a real forest partnership.”

Puschel wanted to make a welcome sign for the secret network. Then he realised that a sign might crush the delicate threads. So they left the soil, moss and leaves exactly as they were.

Puschel“The woodland post will stay unlabelled today. But now I know there is much more happening beneath our paws than we can see.”