3.3.2. Effect of irradiance on neutral spore germination
Spores failed to germinate in darkness and almost all
of the spores in the dark treatment died by the end of the
experiment; therefore, irradiance levels=0 were omitted
from the analysis. ANCOVA analysis showed that there
were no differences in germination between the 25 and
100 μmol photons m−2 s−1 treatments over the week
(Fig. 5). Day=0 was removed from the analysis.
3.3.3. Effect of temperature on neutral spore germination
ANCOVA analysis showed that the percentage of
germinated neutral spores was highest in the 15 °C treatment
over the period investigated, and the 5 °C treatment
caused lower and slower germination than either the 10 or
15 °C treatments (F(2,21)=3.86, p=0.037, F(2,21)=
16.000, p=0.000 respectively; see Fig. 5). Day=0 was
removed from the analysis.
3.4. Net-seeding and nursery stage
Neutral spores attached and germinated within 5 days
of seeding, but germlings grew slowly thereafter. Neutral