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Pando occupies an area of about 0.4 square kilometres and has a dry mass of about 6,000 tonnes. Outwardly, it looks like a sprawling forest with more than 40 thousand trunks. However, the plants are actually genetically identical and they share a common root system.Pando is an important species, providing the foundation for the entire ecosystem and supporting hundreds of other species.
Recent research has revealed that animals are preventing young shoots from reaching maturity, posing a threat to the unique organism.
