Utah's Pando aspen grove is the most massive living thing known on Earth. It may die soon.

[TexasTowelie]

Fishlake National Forest • The leaves of the Pando aspen grove glow in the low sunshine of an October afternoon. The straight, vertical trunks repeat into the distance like a house of mirrors, and under a backlit canopy of foliage, Pando feels at once infinite and enclosed.

For 106 acres on the southwest bank of Fish Lake in Sevier County, a single root system unites this forest. Pando is the biggest aspen “clone” ever identified, the single most massive living organism known on Earth. Though little known in Utah, Pando has gained fame as a tourist destination and as a symbol of sustainability and interconnectedness. It is being researched, photographed, talked about. It has inspired poetry, sermons, even comedy sketches.

Scientists say it could be on the brink of collapse.

“It’s dying from within,” says Paul Rogers, an ecology professor at Utah State University and director of the Western Aspen Alliance. “We’re sort of in an emergency situation in terms of the next five to 10 years.”

Rogers and local land managers know the reason for Pando’s struggle: Animals are eating it faster than it can regenerate. They also say there are ways to save Pando quickly — a welcome distinction from other aspen clones in the Mountain West, which have declined under drought and high temperatures.

Read more: http://www.sltrib.com/news/2017/11/11/utahs-pando-aspen-grove-is-the-most-massive-living-thing-known-on-earth-it-may-die-soon/

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1. Deer are having a massive effect on habitats all over North America.

http://queticosuperior.org/blog/scientists-northern-minnesotas-rising-deer-population-blame-dwindling-moose-numbers

Scientists: Northern Minnesota’s rising deer population to blame for dwindling moose numbers
Posted on November 9, 2017 by Greg Seitz

As moose have slowly disappeared from northeastern Minnesota in the past decade, researchers have been undertaking exhausting studies to understand why.

Now, they have a pretty good idea. One quarter to a third of the dead moose they were able to examine died due to brain parasites carried by whitetail deer.

In a report in the Star Tribune, Department of Natural Resources managers explained that deer can carry the parasites without suffering any ill effects. But they can kill or seriously weaken moose.

MORE AT LINK, including link to an article explaining how the deer are also destroying populations of native trees.

[defacto7]

2. Actually the largest living organism

on earth is a fungus.

Covering 2,385 acres of Malheur National Forest, Oregon, it’s our largest organism, and from the way the fungus has been growing, it may also be our oldest organism. Humongous is estimated to be around 2,400 years – 8,650 years old.

[link:http://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/nature/the-worlds-largest-living-organism.aspx]

Not to take away from the impotance of this article. But just for the information.

There's also a kelp field that some consider to be the largest single living organism but I guess it's too big to measure for sure.

On edit: there are a lot of conflicting statements on the internet about largest and oldest even about the same organism. For instance the Pando has ages all over the place. Not sure who's right.