According to PHYS.ORG
Researchers have discovered that fungi may be able to communicate the presence of toxic metal pollution across their underground networks, allowing connected fungal colonies to prepare for environmental stress before direct exposure occurs. The findings provide new evidence that fungal mycelial networks function as highly coordinated biological systems capable of transmitting information over considerable distances. Scientists believe the discovery expands current understanding of fungal ecology and may eventually contribute to new approaches for environmental monitoring, ecosystem restoration, and bioremediation of contaminated soils. The research comes from a PhD study by Maarten Ottaway at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), published July 2026, which examined the ectomycorrhizal symbiosis between the fungus Laccaria bicolor and poplar trees under metal pollution stress.
The study investigated how fungal mycelium responds when one section of an interconnected network encounters toxic metals. Rather than responding only at the contaminated site, researchers observed that signals traveled through the fungal network, triggering protective physiological responses in distant regions that had not yet come into contact with the pollutant. These responses included changes in gene activity and metabolic processes associated with stress tolerance and metal detoxification. Specifically, the research found that zinc suppressed the symbiotic interaction between Laccaria bicolor and poplar, whereas cadmium enhanced it, and that cadmium exposure triggered long-distance stress signaling within the fungal network even in parts that never directly touched the metal — leading the researcher to conclude that an internal communication system exists within the fungus. The results suggest that fungal networks are capable of rapidly coordinating defensive mechanisms throughout an entire colony, enabling unaffected regions to prepare before pollutants spread further through the environment.
Fungi play essential roles in terrestrial ecosystems by decomposing organic matter, recycling nutrients, supporting plant growth, and forming extensive underground mycelial networks that connect soil microorganisms and plant roots. The newly identified communication mechanism may represent another adaptation that improves fungal survival under environmental stress. Heavy metals such as cadmium, copper, zinc, and lead can damage cellular structures and interfere with normal metabolic activity. By transmitting warning signals across their networks, fungi may reduce the biological impact of localized contamination while maintaining colony function. Researchers note that this coordinated response resembles early-warning systems observed in other biological organisms, although the molecular signaling pathways involved require further investigation — the VUB study identified a distinct stress-associated protein with properties diverging from known yeast and pathogenic fungal homologs, suggesting a unique regulatory mechanism specific to this symbiosis.
Beyond advancing knowledge of fungal biology, the findings may have important environmental applications. Because many fungi naturally tolerate or accumulate heavy metals, understanding how they detect and respond to pollution could improve future bioremediation technologies that use living organisms to restore contaminated soils. Researchers also suggest that fungal communication networks may eventually serve as biological indicators capable of detecting environmental stress before visible ecosystem damage occurs. While additional studies are needed to identify the exact signaling molecules and determine whether similar communication occurs under natural field conditions, the research reinforces the growing recognition that fungal mycelial networks are dynamic communication systems that actively sense, process, and respond to changes in their environment rather than functioning solely as passive decomposers.
References
Kobra, R. et al. Preface to the Special Issue ‘Heavy Metals in Mushrooms’. PMC.
According to PHYS.ORG
