Secret sex life to help save world’s endangered seagrasses

Sex plays a much more important role in the reproduction of vitally important seagrasses than previously thought, according to important new findings by researchers from Western Australia. It forms a major re-think of the way seagrass populations spread and is regarded as critically important to help conserve and restore endangered seagrass meadows.

Healthy seagrass populations are extremely important for coastal stability and carbon sequestration. They grow predominately via vegetative growth or cloning, using rhizomes that spread under the seabed, then sent out roots and shoots. But the researchers found that seagrasses also relied a great deal on sexual reproduction involving male and female flowers, pollen, seeds and seedlings.

Prof Gary Kendrick, Oceans Institute, School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia

Bioscience; http://www.news.uwa.edu.au/201201164278/research/secret-sex-life-help-save-worlds-endangered-seagrasses