Effects of the environment on developmental rates of sporelings of two Hypnea species (Rhodophyta: Gigartinales)

Growth of sporelings of Hypnea cervicornis J. Agardh and H. chordacea Kuetzing in response to gradients of selected environmental factors has been investigated. The sporelings of H. cervicornis tolerated higher levels of the tested parameters (e.g. salinity and temperature) than those of H. chordacea. In all the treatments, the sporelings of H. cervicornis grew significantly faster than those of H. chordacea. The ecological and agronomic implications of these findings are discussed.Extracted from a Ph. D. dissertation submitted to the Graduate Division of the University of Hawaii in Fall, 1974.