Marine and coastal plant biology

Eelgrass seeds host a distinct microbiome that isconsistent along a salinity gradient

This study examines the microbiome of eelgrass seeds, leaves, and roots across a salinity gradient, finding distinct microbial communities in seeds that may influence germination and ecosystem recovery.

Climate stress priming of juvenile Southern California giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) to thermal extremes

This study examines how priming juvenile giant kelp with heat and nutrients improves resilience to marine heatwaves.

Combining environmental DNA and traditional sampling to assess the role of kelp aquaculture as an artificial habitat in Norway

This study compares biodiversity in kelp farms and natural habitats using eDNA and traditional methods, finding lower diversity in farms and limited eDNA insights.

Adaptation to heat and ocean fertilization, two keys for understanding the massive Sargassum growth in the Atlantic

The paper investigates how two genetic variants of Sargassum adapt to heat and ocean fertilization, revealing metabolic and physiological traits that explain their growth and ecological success in the tropical Atlantic.

Environmental dependence of colony morphologies in Labyrinthula species

This study shows that Labyrinthula species switch between network and aggregated colony morphologies based on liquid overlay presence and nutrient conditions.

Optimizing seagrass planting arrangements for animal benefits in a multi-habitat restoration seascape

The paper optimizes seagrass planting configurations to enhance biodiversity and fisheries species in a multi-habitat restoration seascape using spatial data analysis and scenario modeling.

Sedimentation and drag in drifting macrophytes and plastic objects: A model

The paper develops a model to predict sedimentation and drag of macrophytes and plastic objects by approximating them as ellipsoids and using shape descriptors.

Seagrass Extent Expansion in the Gulf of Mexico and Northwestern Caribbean (1987-2021)

This study maps seagrass extent in the Gulf of Mexico and Northwestern Caribbean from 2019-2021 using satellite imagery, finding a 12.3% increase between 1987 and 2021.

Sea urchin consumption of kelp controlled by the density of drift algae

This study quantifies how sea urchin consumption of kelp depends on drift algae density, finding that maintaining equal drift and kelp amounts prevents urchin grazing on live kelp.

Predicting the impact of giant kelp restoration on food webs and fisheries production

This study predicts the ecological and fisheries impacts of restoring giant kelp in Tasmania using an Ecopath with Ecosim model.

Marine heatwaves drive range contraction and alternative states of kelp forests at their warm limit

The paper assesses the impact of marine heatwaves on kelp forests, finding range contraction and alternative states driven by ecological and human factors.

Cultivation protocols the rhodophytes, Devaleraea mollis and Palmaria hecatensis from Alaska

This study develops cultivation protocols for two Alaskan seaweed species, showing they respond differently to temperature, photoperiod, and irradiance, and evaluates alternative nutrient media.

Sustaining Seagrass Restoration: Long-Term Preservation of Posidonia oceanica Seeds and Seedlings

This study develops a method to store Posidonia oceanica seeds and seedlings long-term, improving seagrass restoration by enabling year-round planting and increasing genetic diversity.

Short-term management of kelp forests for marine heatwaves requires planning

The paper models kelp forest management strategies to mitigate marine heatwave impacts, finding that early intervention and sustained actions are most effective.

The fingerprint of functional strategies in Mediterranean seagrass fish assemblages

This study examines functional strategies of Mediterranean seagrass-associated fish assemblages, finding non-random functional structures linked to life-stage-specific habitat use and trade-offs in life-history and feeding strategies.

Effects of Wastewater from a Desalination Plant on a Marine Grassland in Santa Maria, Villa Clara, Cuba

This study assesses the impact of a desalination plant's waste discharge on a marine grassland, finding no significant brine discharge effects but establishing a baseline for future monitoring.

Heat Stress on the brown Seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum: differential population sensitivity to future climate.

This study evaluates how heat stress affects the brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum across its European range, finding that temperature change magnitude, not absolute maxima, drives physiological responses and population resilience.

Intensifying marine heatwaves and limited protection threaten global kelp forests

The paper assesses future threats to global kelp forests from intensifying marine heatwaves and limited protection, finding increased exposure and low current conservation coverage.

Temperature drives seagrass recovery across the Western North Atlantic

This study examines how temperature affects seagrass recovery across the Western North Atlantic, finding that higher temperatures generally enhance recovery, while nutrient and herbivore interactions reduce it.

Experimental approach to assessing the impact of the intensity of near-natural heatwaves on three marine phanerogam species in Mediterranean lagoon environment

This study experimentally assesses the impact of varying intensity marine heatwaves on three Mediterranean seagrass species in a near-natural mesocosm setup, revealing species- and season-dependent responses.

A site selection decision framework for effective kelp restoration

This paper develops a spatial prioritization framework for kelp restoration in California using historical and satellite data to classify and prioritize sites for restoration efforts.

Transcriptome responses of two Halophila stipulacea seagrass populations from pristine and impacted habitats, to single and combined thermal and excess nutrient stressors, reveal local adaptive features and core stress-response genes

Understory low compositional stability enhances functional stability in response to bull kelp removal in southern Chile

The paper examines how the understory community of bull kelp responds to removal, finding rapid recovery in composition and biomass but incomplete recovery in some metrics.

Monthly macroalgal surveys reveal a diverse and dynamic community in an urban intertidal zone

The paper establishes a monthly macroalgal survey in Burrard Inlet, BC, revealing seasonal shifts and long-term changes in macroalgal communities over 35 months.

Drivers of spatio-temporal variability in a marine foundation species

The paper identifies regional drivers of kelp density variation in California using long-term monitoring data and generalized additive models.

First record of the seagrass Halophila stipulacea (Forskkal) Ascherson in the waters of the continental United States (Key Biscayne, Florida)

The paper reports the first occurrence of the seagrass Halophila stipulacea in the continental United States, noting its spread near Key Biscayne, Florida.

Mapping Eelgrass Cover and Biomass at Izembek Lagoon, Alaska, Using In-situ Field Data and Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery

The paper generates eelgrass cover and biomass maps using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and field data, showing declines in central areas between 2006-2020 and southern areas between 2016-2020.

A taxonomically informed DNA reference library to facilitate future biodiversity assessments and monitoring: a case study using seaweeds along a tropical-temperate transition zone in South Africa

The paper constructs a taxonomically informed DNA reference library for seaweeds in South Africa, generating new barcodes and identifying novel species and genera.

Sex-dependent and -independent transcriptional changes during haploid phase gametogenesis in the sugar kelp Saccharina latissima

The paper analyzes transcriptional changes during gametogenesis in Saccharina latissima, identifying sex-dependent and -independent gene expression patterns and regulatory mechanisms.

Sea lettuce systematics: lumping or splitting?

This study analyzes chloroplast gene sequences from 35 Ulva species to resolve phylogenetic relationships, finding 22 evolutionary significant units instead of the currently recognized species.