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Loading...‘Oldest Living Thing On Earth’ Threatened By Climate Change
Scientists working in the Mediterranean recently discovered what is thought to be the oldest living species on Earth: a patch of giant seagrass, Posidonia oceanic, growing in underwater meadows that span more than 2,000 miles between Spain to Cyprus.
Australian scientists sequenced the DNA of samples of the giant seagrass and found that it was most likely to be around 100,000 years-old, although it could be up to 200,000 years-old. If you were able to dig up the entire meadow of seagrass, it would weigh more than 6,000 tons.
The research, recently published in PLoS One, means that this ancient seagrass trumps what was previously believed to be the world’s oldest living thing: a Tasmanian plant that is believed to be 43,000 years old.
The seagrass has the ability to generate clones of itself, and send them out as satellites. Using this method, the grass can slowly grow to cover vast areas of the ocean floor.
Researchers say that these findings call for further research on these life history traits associated with clonality, considering their possible ecological and evolutionary implications, but that may not be possible.
Unfortunately, coastal development (like offshore drilling) and climate change could spell the end of this resilient plant species.
“The seagrass in the Mediterranean is already in clear decline due to shoreline construction and declining water quality and this decline has been exacerbated by climate change,” Prof. Carlos Duarte, from the University of Western Australia, told the Telegraph. ”As the water warms, the organisms move slowly to higher altitudes. The Mediterranean is locked to the north by the European continent. They cannot move. The outlook is very bad.”
Related Reading:
World’s Rarest Coral Discovered In Pacific Ocean
Bizarre Worm-Eating Flower Discovered In Brazil
New Bird Species Discovered In Hawaii
Image Credit: Flickr – NOAA Photo Library
Read more: climate change, discovery, ocean, ocean acidification, offshore drilling, plant species, seagrass, warming ocean
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+ add your ownAct before losing everything
:( why must we destroy everything?
WE NEED TO BEST UNDERSTAND - ALL THAT IS "ON" EARTH - IS IN FACT, ALL OF EARTH. NO ONE CAN CLAIM TO FAME, THE "OLDEST" AS IT IS ALL RELATIVE TO ONES' PERCEPTION. THAT NEEDS TO BECOME AN ACCEPTED FACT BEFORE ALL ELSE. NO ONE KNOWS (AT THIS TIME IN SPACE) WHAT END IS UP. THE ONES CONSIDERED MOST WISE OF YESTERYEAR AND TODAY DO NOT KNOW; ALL WE KNOW IS WE DO NOT KNOW.
I'm curious what the deniers think that causes these phenomena!
We should look for a new earth, or finally start respecting that we have here and now. Every living species has an infinite value of the scientific, is a source of medicines, interesting solutions and examples for human. Unfortunately, much has been destroyed and we will never know fully what nature itself offers us :(
DIDN'T KNOW THIS, THANKS!
Thank your for the artical. When will the human race as a whole realize that global warmingclimate change is a major problem?
Is there anything that some men are not looking to destroy?
Interesting article...
noted.
not surprised, will the human race wake up in time-now THAT will surprise me :(
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