mykhet

Mykhet is a fictional concept in speculative fiction that describes a networked mutualism between fungi and plants. In this conception, mykhet refers to both the fungal hyphal community that forms the network and the ecological pathways it creates among connected plants.

The name combines the mycology root mykes (fungus) with a coined suffix suggesting interconnectedness.

Biologically, mykhets are imagined as dense mats of chitinous hyphae that thread through soil and root interfaces, often incorporating mineral nodules and signaling molecules. The networks are depicted as dynamic, capable of rapidly redistributing nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen and coordinating responses to drought or disease through chemical signals.

Ecologically, mykhet networks are portrayed as stabilizing components of temperate and boreal ecosystems, enhancing plant establishment and resilience. They may harbor symbiotic bacteria or archaea that contribute to nutrient cycling and bioremediation.

In-world, mykhet concepts originate in field journals and are developed by researchers who map their connections using fictional imaging technologies. They are commonly explored in novels and games as symbols of cooperation and networked life.

See also mutualism, mycology, rhizosphere and network ecology.