"Step 2: Harnessing Sorus Power" — The dark patches on mature bull kelp blades are called sori—these reproductive patches sink to the bottom and release little spores that become the next generation of bull kelp. Nereocystis has an annual lifecycle, meaning it appears in the spring and summer but dies off in the winter with large storms. Baby kelp settle on the ocean floor at the end of summer and remain dormant until conditions are right for their growth in the spring. Scientists can harness this natural lifecycle back in the lab experimentally determine the best techniques for replanting bull kelp in the ocean. Timber Cove, California. June 2023 by Abbey Dias @abbeydias
