Seasonal Occurrence and Reproduction of Some Marine Algae of the Continental Shelf, North Carolina

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Abstract
This study documents seasonal variation in the timing of asexual and sexual reproduction of seaweed populations [24 spp.] occurring at an inner continental shelf habitat of North Carolina and identifies seasonal and annual variations in reproductive output of abundant species. The season of reproduction varied widely for the brown algal species, whereas reproduction in most red algae peaked either in spring or summer. Only a portion of the life cycle, usually the sporophytic stage, was evinced for most species of brown algae. In contrast, many of the red algae had both gametophytic and sporophytic phases of their life cycle. There were both seasonal and year to year variations in reproductive output of the 5 most abundant species studied, these fluctuations being most pronounced in the dominant, perennial species. Since the most abundant species at the study site rarely showed development of gametophytic reproductive structures, the successful completion of the sexual phase of the life cycle may not be necessary for short-term maintenance of these populations. Rather, continual establishment and maintenance of these species at this habitat might be due to a sequence of sporophytic phases or vegetative propagation.