Studies on native ecotypes of Enteromrpha intestinalis under salinity stress

Abstract

Organisms are not just "Slaves" to the physical environment, they must adapt themselves and modify according to changes in the physical environment so as to reduce the limiting effects of environmental factors. The

environmental tolerance provided by developmental flexibility may enable an organism to exist in a new environment long enough for adaptation to that environment. Species with wide geographical ranges almost develop locally adapted populations called ecological races or ecotypes that have optima and limits of tolerance adjusted to local conditions. Algae are found in habitats of widely different water potentials and have accordingly evaluated osmoregulat­ ory mechanism to deaI with environment which may be very saline, very dry, normal sea water, rapidly fluctuating salinities or a very low salt content. Some marine algae are proposed to have a wide range of tolerance to salinity

changes. Full realization of algal potentialities to overcome the salinity problem will, however, not be achieved until our understanding of their physiological responses to salt stress is intensively studied. Enteromorpha intestinalis is a characteristically marine alga, but it can

flourished in and tolerate estuarine and fresh tidal and.......