Guest lecture

How do kelps show morphological plasticity across gradients of wave or current exposure?

Blades grow narrow and flat in high flow (reduces drag), or broad and ruffled in low flow (increases productivity)

What developmental mechanisms underlie morphological plasticity in Nereocystis?

• Applying tension to blades caused them to grow longer and narrower

• The amount of morphological change was proportional to the amount of tension (not just 2 alternate shapes)

• This likely allows Nereocystis to fine-tune its morphology to whatever flow environment it finds itself in

• Manipulating the location and direction of mechanical stress suggests a growth response localized to individual cells in the growing region of blades

What is biobanking?

• The storage of biological material for later use in research, conservation, or industry

• There are few biobank collections of kelp worldwide

• The development of kelp biobank collections would provide biological “insurance” in case of loss of biodiversity from the wild

What is cryopreservation?

• The storage of living biological material at ultralow temperatures

• Permits living cells and tissues to be stored for long periods of time with almost no metabolic activity

• The development of cryopreservation protocols for kelp would be helpful for kelp biobanking