In an ecological survey along the estuary of Tansui river,a predominantred alga,Gracilaria tenuistipitata var.liue was distributed in a somewhat narrowgeographic range as compared to its salinity tolerance.The salinity tolerance test included measures of nutrient absorption,photo-synthesis,growth and cystocarp formation of algal frond and the subsequentgermination and development of carpospore in a salinity range of 5-35‰.Almost all the above measures exhibited positive performance in the testedrange,confirming the euryhalinity of the study species.The incapability of cystocarp formation at 35‰,however,was suspectedto be critical in limiting the distribution of the species studied from a vicinalopen coastal water,whilst the non-distribution of the study species in mostof the esturine area is mainly ascribed to the lack of suitable substratum.