Bits and pieces of trees have been studied in the laboratory , but entire trees have seldom been dissected. Wood anatomy has been studied from the view of dead prepared samples in the laboratory. By tree anatomy, I mean entire living trees, again, entire living trees. Tree dissections must be done outside with large, powerful tools. It is hard, physical work.
Trees connect in synergistic ways with many other organisms.
These mushrooms produce great numbers of spores that can be blown by the wind for long distances. When the spores germinate to form hyphae, some will infect non-woody tree roots to form mycorrhizae. The problem is made worse because research people rarely associate with working people. The people who have university degrees seldom go outside to associate with tree people working in the field. The separation between the working people and the university people has existed since the beginning of science.