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Who needs sex? Kelp reproduce asexually when no mate is nearby

The Brief · written from 3 sources

Kelp switch between sexual and asexual reproduction depending on whether potential mates are nearby, according to a study by Daniel Liesner at the Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen and colleagues.
The study was published on Nov. 12, 2026, in the open-access journal PLOS Biology.
Nature's coverage says the insights into brown algae reproductive modes could help in efforts to protect them in a warming climate.

Why it matters

Reproductive flexibility in kelp may influence how populations persist when mates are scarce, which bears on conservation efforts for brown algae under warming climate conditions.

Who’s affected

marine biologists
researchers and managers working on kelp forest conservation

Nature, Published online: 12 November 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-03665-0 Insights into the reproductive modes of brown algae could help in the fight to protect them in warming climate.

Read the full story at nature.com ↗