Fascinating. I had known for some time that oak trees will commingle their roots, forming an oak internet. In good times, this helps smaller trees become better

Fascinating. I had known for some time that oak trees will commingle their roots, forming an oak internet. In good times, this helps smaller trees become better established through resource-sharing with mature trees. Unfortunately, the network doesn't just pass beneficial resources; it also passes the oak wilt pathogen, so if one oak tree gets the wilt, it's a pretty good bet that all the others in the immediate vicinity will get it too.