The petra-cola has developed some new skills, as of late.

(please don't crack jokes about the picture. I'm doing the best I can.)
Certain predators have begun to attack this organism, so now instead of simply letting the outer cells die due to radiation, the main body cells have specialized to the point where if they are attacked by radiation (signalling that they are at the outside of the body) they will consume as much germanium as they can, becoming very large and thick. They also assume a black color, which defends agianst radiation. So now it has a much thicker shell.
Also, some cilia normally used for transportation of food throughout the organism have migrated to the bottom of the above-ground section. When the column on the organism becomes too large, the upper section simply breaks off in addition to sending out spores. It then grows more cilia on the bottom and moves to a different location, which usually ends up being around two feet away. Due to the large pressures exerted by this action, the cells bonding the organism together have strengthened. A migration happens around once a month. This new mutation has caused two major changes. One: Colonies of this organism are now much larger, growing at a very fast rate. Two: The petra-cola will leave behind deep tunnels filled to the brim with energy-rich material.
The petra-cola still appears to be a small pile of dirt, due to the waste it continues to spit out. The shell of the petra-cola is too thick to be penetrated by all but the toughest of creatures, but the creature can be eaten if it is flipped over, exposing the soft underbelly.