Coralline algae in temperate waters commonly form an understory beneath canopy-forming seaweeds. They are sometimes dominant on barren grounds where seaweed forests have declined. The early life history stage such as a sporeling is a crucial phase for the initial establishment and persistence of the seaweed population. Therefore, the optimum and vital growth conditions for sporelings of these coralline algae under various environmental factors must be defined. We investigated using laboratory culture the effects of water temperature, light, and nitrate levels on the growth of sporelings of a non-geniculate coralline alga Lithophyllum okamurae which is commonly found in the temperate Western Pacific. The optimum temperature for growth of the sporelings was 20 °C, with the growth rate decreased above this temperature. The highest temperature L. okamurae sporelings survived was 30 °C. The saturating irradiance (photosynthetic photon flux density) for the growth of the sporelings was inferred as approximately 130 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹ with photoinhibition observed at a greater irradiance, which was similarly seen in other coralline algae grown in shade conditions, indicating that L. okamurae had adapted to such conditions. The initial slope of the growth rate versus nitrate concentration (V_max/K_s) of the sporelings was lower than that of other coralline species, but was similar to values for other macroalgae. These results indicate that L. okamurae is not more tolerant than other macroalgae under these mentioned growth conditions; hence, this species might respond similarly as other macroalgae against future environmental changes.

温带水域中的珊瑚藻通常会在形成冠层的海藻下形成地下层。它们有时在荒芜的海藻森林占主导地位的土地上占主导地位。早期的生活史阶段（例如孢子繁殖）对于海藻种群的初步建立和持续生存至关重要。因此，必须确定在各种环境因素下这些珊瑚藻的孢子的最佳和重要的生长条件。我们使用实验室培养方法研究了水温，光照和硝酸盐水平对非成体珊瑚藻海藻Lithophyllum okamurae的孢子生长的影响常见于温带的西太平洋。孢子生长的最佳温度为20°C，生长速度降低到该温度以上。冈村乳杆菌孢子存活的最高温度为30°C。孢子生长的饱和辐照度（光合光子通量密度）被推定为大约130μmol光子m ^-2  s ^-1，在更大辐照度下观察到了光抑制作用，这与其他在阴影条件下生长的珊瑚藻类似地观察到，表明那L. okamurae已经适应了这样的条件。生长速率相对于硝酸盐浓度的初始斜率（V _max / K _s）的孢子低于其他珊瑚物种，但与其他大型藻类的值相似。这些结果表明，在上述提到的生长条件下，冈村乳杆菌对其他大型藻类的耐受性并不强。因此，该物种可能会与其他大型藻类一样对未来的环境变化做出类似的反应。