One winter rye plant can grow over 600 kilometers (372 miles) of roots in one growing season.
Killer trees feasting on bugs
Killer trees feasting on bugs "Beware the killer pine!" Ecologists have found
that white pines in Ontario work as a team with mushrooms to eat
insects alive. Beige mushrooms release a toxin that paralyzes tiny
springtails that live in the soil. The mushrooms then grow inside
the springtails, eating them alive. The mushrooms are attached to
the roots of the pine trees, and feed nutrients, such as nitrogen,
from the insects to the tree. The trees produce sugars, and return
these to the mushrooms. This is the first time that trees have been
found acting as predators. APRIL 5, 2001