How Trees Talk to Each Other
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Provided by: TED|Published on: April 27, 2021
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Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This video is about the interconnectedness of our forests and how trees can communicate with and protect one another through fungal networks in the soil.
- Students will learn about the experiments of Suzanne Simard and why her findings should change the way we view forests and trees.
Subjects: Chemistry, Biology
Authors: Suzanne Simard, TED
Region: North America, Global
Languages:
Teaching Materials
Positives
- It provides solutions to promoting biodiversity and protecting forests, including spending more time in forests, saving old-growth forests, and replanting forests with native species.
- It includes a timestamped transcript for students who need support following along.
Additional Prerequisites
- The transcript and closed captioning are offered in 32 languages.
- There is a short ad before the video.
- Students might benefit from a discussion about mycorrhizal networks prior to the video.
Differentiation
- Science classes can summarize the experiment she described and analyze how she concluded that trees were communicating to each other.
- Biology classes can include this video in lessons about plants, decomposers, fungi, molecular signaling and communication, or ecology.
- Chemistry classes could use this resource for lessons about the practical applications of isotopes.
- English language arts classes can practice making a claim with evidence using this video and write a short paper proving that trees can "talk" to each other.
- Other resources related to these topics include this video about fungi that help plants survive, Mapping the Powerful Impacts of Forests, The Importance of Forests, and What Are Primary Forests and Why Should We Protect Them.
Suzanne Simard is an accomplished researcher with many peer-reviewed journal publications. In her TED Talk, she explains how her research showed the interconnections between trees and how they communicate with each other. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
