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

Source: [nature.com](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-03665-0) · 2026-11-12 · Life
Page: https://themorning.science/story/who-needs-sex-kelp-reproduce-asexually-when-no-mate-is-nearby-ebb42fd6ccfc2224
Kind: research · Impact: medium

## In brief

- 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.

## Timeline

- 2026-11-12: Study published in PLOS Biology

## Coverage

- [Seaweeds can switch to asexual reproduction when there are no mates nearby](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-seaweeds-asexual-reproduction-nearby.html) — Biology News - Evolution, Cell theory, Gene theory, Microbiology, Biotechnology, 2026-11-12
- [Life-cycle plasticity enables conditional asexual reproduction in a kelp](https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3004065) — PLOS Biology, 2026-11-12
- [Who needs sex? Kelp reproduce asexually when no mate is nearby](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-03665-0) — nature.com, 2026-11-12

Tags: kelp, brown algae, reproduction, evolution, marine biology

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Brief generated by AI (claude-haiku-5-5) from the reporting listed under Coverage. Headlines belong to their publishers. The Morning Science – https://themorning.science