According to British newspaper The Guardian, Australian scientists have announced the discovery of the world’s largest plant, reaching 200 km² in length. The seagrass Posidonia australis, which is widespread in the country, began to grow in the Shark Bay World Heritage area around 4,500 years ago, according to the researchers.
Scientists were surprised when they started looking for genetic differences in seagrass. Taking samples from distant areas over 180 km away, they found that they were not multiple specimens, but a single plant.
They came up with an estimated age of the plant of 4,500 years because this species normally grows up to 35 cm per year.
Jane Edgeloe, a student and researcher at the University of Western Australia, said around 18,000 genetic markers were studied while looking for species variations that might help them.
But they unintentionally discovered 200 km² of the same plant. “The existing 200 square kilometers of weeds appear to have spread from a single colonizing seedling,” said Jane. The plant formed dense meadows in some places that were beyond the reach of the human eye.
The plant now provides habitat for a variety of marine species, including turtles, dolphins, dugongs, crabs and fish, according to The Guardian.
Although Shark Bay is a nature reserve, the conditions that have given the plant such volume also intrigue scientists, as salinity in certain areas of the bay is double normal and water temperatures around 15°C in the coldest and 30th days °C varies in the hottest parts.
Shark Bay, where the world’s largest plant was discovered
Image: Disclosure/Angela Rossen/University of Western Australia
Elizabeth explained that the plant’s survival was possible because it appeared to retain the chromosomes of both “parents”. “Instead of getting half of his genes from his mother and half from his father, he kept them all.”
The researcher also believes that much of the plant is “sterile” and must rely on its own ability to reproduce rather than releasing its seeds.
Kathryn McMahon, a professor at Edith Cowan University, is an expert on seagrass and, while not involved in the research, supports the thesis that the plant is 4,500 years old, since other seagrass species can live 2,000 to 100,000 years. “They have a versatile growth pattern that contributes to this long shelf life,” explained Kathryn.
“They can grow in nutrientrich areas to access the nutrients they need, or in gaps in the meadow where there is room to grow, or away from stressful locations,” the professor said. “All of these qualities mean that if they are in the right place, they can last for a long time.”