Oldest known plant found in Baltic Sea

An international research team has found the oldest known marine plant in the Baltic Sea, dating back about 1,400 years.

This was reported by Finnish TV channel MTV3.

It is a seaweed called Zostera marina.

The research team from the German Centre for Ocean Research led by Professor Thorsten Rausch was able to determine the age of Zostera marina using somatic genetic clocks, i.e. mutations that arise during cell division. The scientists had previously assessed the age of 20 marine plants from around the world.

According to Christopher Boström, Associate Professor at the Department of Marine and Environmental Biology at Åbo University, the discovery of the oldest plant in the Baltic Sea can be explained by the harsh growing conditions in this area.  

Boström hopes the study results will encourage more environmental efforts to protect this plant, which is important for preserving the biodiversity of the Baltic Sea.