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Tree Associates - Trees pass along to others more "biomoney" than any other organism.
Trees and their associates are living systems that respond with defense mechanisms to threats against their survival. Trees provide their associates with food, water, shelter, home, nesting, and roosting sites. Here are some of the benefits the associates provide for trees: 1. Facilitate absorption of water and elements - fungi, (mycorrhizae). 2. Break down organic and inorganic materials - bacteria, fungi, insects, animals. 3. Aerate soils - worms, insects, fungi, animals. 4. Fertilize - droppings from worms, insects, and other animals. 5. Detoxify harmful substances - bacteria and fungi. 6. Help adjust pH - bacteria and fungi. 7. Convert nitrogen in air to a usable form (fix nitrogen) - bacteria and actinomycetes. 8. Protect roots against pathogens - bacteria, fungi, (mycorrhizae). 9. Hold water - actinomycetes, bacteria, (cell coatings). 10. Regulate slow-release fertilizers - bacteria. 11. Resist decay - anaerobic bacteria (wetwood), non-decay causing fungi (discolored wood). 12. Disseminate seeds - birds, animals, insects. 13. Pollinate flowers - insects, animals, especially birds and bats. 14. Facilitate branch shedding - decay-causing fungi. 15. Protection against wound infections by decay-causing fungi - bacteria, non-decay-causing fungi. Less than 1% of the fungi and bacteria are harmful to the tree system.