Researchers at Kobe University have uncovered a hidden key to orchid reproduction: wood-decaying fungi living in deadwood. Published in the journal Functional Ecology, the study shows that orchid seeds — no larger than dust particles — can only germinate near decaying logs, where they obtain essential carbon from specialised fungi. Seeds buried elsewhere in the forest remained dormant.
The findings close a long-standing gap in our understanding of wild orchid ecology and reveal an overlooked carbon pathway through forest ecosystems — with important implications for conservation and habitat management.
