This 2,400 Year Old Mushroom Is The Largest Living Organism On The Planet
The largest concentration of “Humongous Fungus” takes up 3.5 square miles of Malheur National Forest and is still growing.
An individual organism can be classified as “a being has a set of cells that are genetically identical and communicate with each other”. This giant fungus fits the bill, and extensive DNA testing has proven this is the largest single living organism in the world.
Regarding efforts to potentially save the forest from being ravaged, Dan Omdal, with the Washington Department of Natural Resources told Oregon Public Broadcasting in 2015, “Remember, it’s the baddest fungus on the block. We’re looking for a tree that can grow in its presence. It’s foolish to plant the same species where you harvested in areas that are infested by the disease.” Different species of trees including Doug fir, western larch, and white pine are currently being studied to see if one can possibly tolerate the fungus without dying.
Or, we can simply view armillaria ostoyae as part of our ever-changing ecosystem, allowing trees to rot and die, which in turn creates habitat for birds and insects.
An individual organism can be classified as “a being has a set of cells that are genetically identical and communicate with each other”. This giant fungus fits the bill, and extensive DNA testing has proven this is the largest single living organism in the world.
Regarding efforts to potentially save the forest from being ravaged, Dan Omdal, with the Washington Department of Natural Resources told Oregon Public Broadcasting in 2015, “Remember, it’s the baddest fungus on the block. We’re looking for a tree that can grow in its presence. It’s foolish to plant the same species where you harvested in areas that are infested by the disease.” Different species of trees including Doug fir, western larch, and white pine are currently being studied to see if one can possibly tolerate the fungus without dying.
Or, we can simply view armillaria ostoyae as part of our ever-changing ecosystem, allowing trees to rot and die, which in turn creates habitat for birds and insects.
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13 April 2023
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