Desmarestia viridis, as with other members of the family Desmarestiales, have opportunistic sporophytes that recruit in high densities following disturbance (Reed & Foster, 1984). The alternation of generations is heteromorphic, with a macroscopic sporophyte and monoecious microscopic gametophytes (Nakara, 1984, Kornman, 1962). The sporophytes can also reproduce by apospory, which may help Desmarestia populations persist in seasonally variable environment (Pickett and White, 1985)

Literature cited:

Abbott A., Hollenberg G. 1993. Marine Algae of California. Stanford university Press

Edwards M. S. 2000. The role of alternate life history stages of marine macroalga: a seed bank analogue?. Ecology 81 (9) pp 2404-2415.

Pickett, S.T.A., and P. S. White. 1985. The ecology of natural disturbance and patch dynamics. Academic press, Orlando, Florida, USA.

Edwards W. 1998. Evolution of parental care in Phodopus: Conflict between adaptations for survival and adaptations for rapid reproduction. AMER. ZOOL., 38:238-250

Nakahara. 1984. GexSi1–x/Si strained-layer superlattice grown by molecular beam epitaxy. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A Volume 2, Issue 2, pp. 436-440

Reed, D. C., and M.S. Foster. 1984. The effects of canopy shading on algal recruitment and growth in a giant kelp forest. Ecology 65: 937-984.

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ZooBot Spring Quarter 2009

Friday Harbor Laboratories

University of Washington