These seagrass beds can't be more than 8,000 years old.
Posted on 02/07/2012 9:45:53 AM PST by null and void
Scientists say a patch of ancient seagrass in the Mediterranean is up to 200,000 years and could be the oldest known living thing on Earth. Australian researchers, who genetically sampled the seagrass covering 40 sites from Spain to Cyprus, say it is one of the world's most resilient organisms - but it has now begun to decline due to global warming.
The analysis, published in the journal PLos ONE, found the seagrass was between 12,000 and 200,000 years old and was most likely to be at least 100,000 years old. This is far older than the current known oldest species, a Tasmanian plant that is believed to be 43,000 years old.
Prof Carlos Duarte, from the University of Western Australia, said the seagrass has been able to reach such old age because it can reproduce asexually and generate clones of itself. Organisms that can only reproduce sexually are inevitably lost at each generation, he added.
"They are continually producing new branches," he told The Daily Telegraph. "They spread very slowly and cover a very large area giving them more area to mine resources. They can then store nutrients within their very large branches during bad conditions for growth."
The separate patches of seagrass in the Mediterranean span almost 10 miles and weigh more than 6,000 tons.
"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. 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."
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
... was cloned repeatedly over thousands of years, he might not end up being the same guy who owned the hatchet.
LOL.
OH Noes!
You are bad. You are sooooooo bad! You are beyond bad.
That is my primary problem with modern science, nobody checks anything anymore, what ever lends to your personal fancy is now a fact, the stronger with more zeros added. Most science these days is shoveling nothing in a bucket to fill it up, on grant money of course.
In bartender talk they’re called “The Three Wise Men” just ask for one.
......................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..........................
Yet shoreline construction and declining water quality has not been cited as the cause - manmade glo-bull climate change takes the headline.
What total bull-—t!
Pure unadulterated BS!
These idiots conveniently forget the prior "global warming" periods of the last 200,000 years?
Gheez, Louise.
Give me a break!
I’m not sure I like the last 1/8 inch.
First, the illiterate reporter meant LATITUDE, not “altitude”.
Second, it is a plant - it doesn’t move, slowly or otherwise.
But its progeny may grow preferentially in one direction or another.
It’s the next 1/8 inch that scares me, and not because I think it’s heading up or that up would be bad.
Excellent source. Thank you!
Way to go jerks.
Helen Thomas is really pissed that she’s NOT the oldest living thing anymore. You scientists couldn’t just leave it alone could ya?
Courtesy ping for Helen Thomas ping list members. Thanks, skink!
200,000 years old and NOW threatend due to global warming?? that is as far as i cared to read!
What a crock of sheeit!!
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Thanks DCBryan1. Third (or fourth?) time the charm. The system just hasn't wanted to post the ping message. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. |
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Only 2 replies and someone just had to mention Hell-in Thomas.
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