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by sidewndr46 595 days ago
I thought the scientific consensus was Pando does not actually reproduce anymore and is shrinking
2 comments

Forest Service says it's showing signs of decline due to "... a lack of regeneration, along with insects and disease."

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/fishlake/home/?cid=STELPRDB53...

I've never heard that. The aboveground stems of aspens live just over a century, so Pando would be dead very quickly (in relative terms) if that was true. I see some articles online that new shoots are struggling to survive because of herbivores though.
apparently I had it wrong. The net size is decreasing over time, but new shoots do still emerge and mature into healthy structures