https://www.science.org/content/article/world-s-largest-organism-found-australia Advertisement * * news * careers * commentary * Journals * Covid-19 Science Science * * * Log in * Become A Member [science] science [sciadv] science advances [sciimmunol] science immunology [scirobotics] science robotics [signaling] science signaling [stm] science translational medicine [spj-cover] science partner journals Quick Search anywhere Enter Search Term[ ] Quick Search in Journals Enter Search Term[ ] Quick Search in Journals Enter Search Term[ ] Quick Search in Journals Enter Search Term[ ] Quick Search in Journals Enter Search Term[ ] Quick Search in Journals Enter Search Term[ ] Quick Search in Journals Enter Search Term[ ] Searching: Anywhere AnywhereScienceScience AdvancesScience ImmunologyScience Robotics Science SignalingScience Translational Medicine Advanced Search Search Trending Terms: * covid-19 * climate * science policy * genome editing * batteries Log In Become A Member Quick Search anywhere Enter Search Term[ ] science.org * Custom publishing * collections * videos * podcasts * blogs * visualizations * prizes and awards * authors & reviewers * librarians * advertisers * about * help * * * * * * AAAS Logo * Terms of Service * Privacy Policy * Accessibility * News Home * All News * ScienceInsider * News Features GET OUR E-ALERTS HomeNewsScienceShotsWorld's largest organism found in Australia Back To ScienceShots * ScienceShots * Plants & Animals World's largest organism found in Australia Single hybrid seagrass plant now stretches across 180 kilometers * 31 May 2022 * 7:01 PM * ByElizabeth Pennisi Posidonia australis seagrass Royal Society Share: * Twitter * Linked In * Facebook * Reddit * Wechat * Email It sounds like the stuff of science fiction: Two closely related species hybridize and create a superorganism whose growth and expansion seems unstoppable. That's what's happened in Western Australia's Shark Bay, researchers say, where a seagrass meadow (see above) stemming from a single hybrid plant has extended its reach across more than 180 kilometers--an area the size of Washington, D.C. Two years ago, scientists discovered some of the seagrass there was a clone of a Poseidon's ribbon weed (Posidonia australis) that had 40 chromosomes instead of the typical 20. They think half those chromosomes may come from the ribbon weed and half from an unknown species. That second half appears to have provided a big survival advantage, as this hybrid has taken over all but one of the 10 seagrass meadows surveyed, the scientists report today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The clone is about 1.5 orders of magnitude larger than the largest fungi and the longest sea animal. The team suspects the clone arose 4500 years ago and has been spreading ever since. That would make it among the oldest organisms on Earth, although not quite as old as the oldest tree. Shark Bay is at the northern edge of where this seagrass can survive, and global warming is making it harder for the plants to hang on there. Low rainfall and high evaporation rates have also caused the water to become much saltier. The clone's extra genes may be providing a way for it to adapt to these stresses, the authors note. --------------------------------------------------------------------- doi: 10.1126/science.add2709 Relevant tags: Plants & Animals About the author Elizabeth Pennisi Elizabeth Pennisi mailTwitter Liz is a senior correspondent covering many aspects of biology for Science. --------------------------------------------------------------------- More from news Viking ship display at the planned Museum of the Viking Age in Oslo, Norway 1 Jun 2022 Upheaval in Norwegian science funding threatens grants By * Cathleen O'Grady A woman gets blood drawn 1 Jun 2022 Monkeypox is a new global threat. African scientists know what the world is up against By * Jon Cohen lava lake inside Kilauea volcano 1 Jun 2022 'Singing' lava lakes could help predict when volcanoes will blow By * Zack Savitsky View more Got a tip for Science's news department? Connect Subscribe to News from Science Don't yet have access? 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