Study in PLoS Biology shows male and female kelp Laminaria pallida can reproduce without fertilisation

12 November 2026

A study published in PLoS Biology shows that kelp, a brown alga, can reproduce asexually when no mate is nearby. Researchers studied Laminaria pallida, found along the Atlantic coasts of South Africa and Namibia. In laboratory dishes kept apart, both microscopic male and female forms produced offspring without fertilisation. That male reproductive cells could do this is striking, since sperm carry few resources to support development. In the wild, 523 kelp individuals showed no clear sign of asexual reproduction. The work, involving Daniel Liesner of the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel in Germany, explains how changes in gene activity let kelp switch modes, which may help protect kelp forests as seas warm.