Scientists recently put out that the largest organisms in the world are in decline, as these have been consumed by overgazing of herbivore animals like deers and elks. Now, this is a topic of concern!!
located in the western US, Mount Wasatch houses a single giant organism that bears the responsibility of providing an entire ecosystem on which the plants and animals depended for about a thousand years.
This organism commonly called "Pando" is a 106 acre batch of a single stretch of Quaking aspen clones.
Representational image of Pando tree
Although it looks like a woodland of individual trees with striking white bark and small leaves that flutter in the slightest breeze, Pando (Latin for “I spread”) is actually 47,000 genetically identical stems that arise from an interconnected root network. This single genetic individual weighs around 6,000 tonnes. By mass, it is the largest single organism on Earth.
Pando has been around for thousands of years, potentially up to 14,000 years, despite most stems only living for about 130 years. Its longevity and remoteness mean a whole ecosystem of 68 plant species and many animals have evolved and been supported under its shade. This entire ecosystem relies on the aspen remaining healthy and upright.
Although Pando is protected by the US National Forest Service and is not in danger of being cut down, it is in danger of disappearing due to several other factors.
Deer are eating the youngest ‘trees’
Overgazing by deers and elks is one of the biggest concers in this matter. The wolves being major predators kept the herd number in check, but now due to the drastic decline of these keystone predators the population of heards is o constant rise. Deer and elk also tend to congregate in Pando as the protection the woodland receives means they are not in danger of being hunted there.
Usually the older trees die and fall on the ground, which lets the light reach the woodland floor and this in turn stimulates new clonal stems to start processing and grow into new, young plants. but where these animals (deer and elk) eat the tops of the newly generating stem, they die. which directly effects the population of the Pando.
now as a resuly there has been fencing put up across the are to help and avoif the heards dwell and infest the Pandos. this came up about a decade ago, where fencing was done on just a few acers of land, resulting in rapid increase in the Pando trees. which is violla!!! a good news.
It’s these moments that remind us that we have plants, animals and ecosystems worth protecting. In Pando, we get the rare chance to protect all three.
its not just the Pando we are talking about, all the greens in general play a critical role in ecosystem, in shorts lets protect the world from loosing its lush..
To a great new week!!! Untill next time..