(Washington) Scientists have identified the world’s largest plant off the coast of Australia ― a swamp of algae that grew by repeatedly cloning itself.
Posted at 3:05 p.m.
Genetic analyzes have shown that the seaweed field is a single organism covering 180 square kilometers, after 4,500 years of copying itself.
The finding was published Wednesday in the scientific journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The researchers confirmed that the swamp is the same organism by taking samples and comparing DNA from shoots across the field, wrote study co-author, marine biologist Jane Edgeloe of the University of ‘Western Australia.
Many plants and some animals can reproduce asexually. Cloning has disadvantages ― such as greater susceptibility to disease ― but the “process can create ‘hope-filled monsters'” by opening the door to rapid growth, the researchers wrote.
Scientists say the swamp ― which occupies an area larger than the state of Washington ― is “the largest known clone on Earth”.
Despite its immense size, the swamp is vulnerable. Ten years ago, algae took up about 20 square kilometers more, but cyclones and rising ocean temperatures associated with climate change have recently killed almost 10% of this ancient marsh.