Let's talk about sex: Why reproductive systems matter for understanding algae

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Population genetics
• Eukaryotic life cycles

Background:

• Eukaryotic life cycles involve alternating haploid and diploid phases, influencing evolution at multiple levels.
• Most eukaryotes reproduce partially clonally, but research often focuses on sexual reproduction in animals and angiosperms.
• The balance between sexual and asexual reproduction shapes genetic variability and evolutionary paths.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address critical gaps in understanding the evolutionary drivers of diverse algal life cycles.
• To highlight the need for quantitative assessment of life cycle variations on reproductive systems.
• To emphasize the importance of algae as model organisms for studying eukaryotic reproductive diversity.

Main Methods:

• Review of extant knowledge on algal population genetics and reproductive strategies.
• Identification of knowledge gaps concerning the frequency of sexual versus asexual reproduction in algae.
• Synthesis of data across micro- and macroalgal species.

Main Results:

• There is an alarming lack of population genetic data for most algae.
• The occurrence and frequency of sexual reproduction are unknown for many algal species.
• Existing data is often fragmented or lost in overlooked literature.

Conclusions:

• Algae offer a powerful model system to resolve knowledge gaps in eukaryotic reproductive evolution.
• Limited data restricts our ability to forecast climate change impacts on algal populations.
• Future research should broadly investigate micro- and macroalgal reproductive strategies.