Investigating fungi: the wood-wide web – for iPod/iPhone

How fundamental are fungi to a forest’s eco-system? And how can they be utilised to reclaim barren land and grow sustainable plantations for economic markets? In this album, scientists from the UK and Malaysia explore how fungi form constructive and cooperative partnerships with other plants and trees, and how such symbiosis can be used for economic and environmental benefit. In the audio track, Professor David Robinson of The Open University delves deeper into the techniques scientists use to learn more about the woodwide web. This material forms part of The Open University course S204 Biology: uniformity and diversity.