There is a possibility that an ancient plant that has endured for 165 million years and seen the Himalayas rise to their present form might soon become extinct. The Indian mainland started to collide with the Asian landmass 65 million years ago, which finally resulted in the formation of the Himalayas. At the same time, plant life went along to the summit of the planet and adapted to their new habitat, which was cold and sunny. However, the population of this terrestrial plant species, which is estimated to be among the oldest organisms alive on Earth, is currently on the decline, which is most likely driven in part by changes in climate.
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Only on the Tibetan plateau can you see both of the Takakia species, T. ceratohyal, and T. lepidozioides, growing together in their natural habitat. The Takakia genus has been around for close to 400 million years. There are a few locations, such as Alaska and British Columbia, in which both species may exist independently of one another. However, it is unknown how they arrived at those locations.
The Takakia is a one-of-a-kind fossil because, on the surface, it retains the traits of earlier terrestrial plants, despite having been petrified millions of years ago. For instance, its leaves do not have the typical distinguishable topside and underneath that modern plants do. Stomata, the leaf tissue that allows most plants to “breathe,” is absent in these organisms as well.
Having the whole genome really lets you get into the gene evolution; […] whole-genome sequences exist for only a few other mosses. It was really needed, says Brent Mishler, a bryologist at the University of California, Berkeley.
Climate Change Worries
The researchers also discovered proof that Takakia is in danger since its reduction coincides with a rise in temperatures of roughly 0.5 °C every year between 2010 and 2021. This was one of the findings that they came up with. However, warmth may not be the only factor contributing to the plant’s deterioration. Other alterations in the environment, such as shifts in air quality and humidity, are the root cause of Takakia’s steep decrease, which is a very terrible development.
