Functional Traits of Terrestrial Plants in the Intertidal: A Review on Mangrove Trees

Quadros, Aline Ferreira de; Helfer, Véronique; Nordhaus, Inga; Reuter, Hauke; Zimmer, Martin

doi:10.1086/716510

Cited by 20 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…The functional diversity of leaf area, however, demonstrated strong positive associations with productivity (a single ecosystem process) and sediment K content (a single ecosystem property related to nutrient cycling, which is a multifaceted ecosystem process). Moreover, species richness indirectly enhanced sediment ammonium through increasing the functional composition of leaf litter nitrogen content (Figure 2d) which, in turn, promotes microbial decay and results in elevated sediment nitrogen levels (Hossain et al., 2013; Quadros et al., 2021). Mangrove leaves are usually rich in potassium but poor in nitrogen and phosphorus as the plant roots are often inundated by seawater providing most of the potassium to the ecosystem (Alongi, 2018; Reef et al., 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional composition outweighs taxonomic and functional diversity in maintaining ecosystem properties and processes of mangrove forests

Rahman,

Zimmer,

Donato

et al. 2024

Global Change Biology

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Biodiversity loss can have significant consequences for human well‐being, as it can affect multiple ecosystem properties and processes (MEPP) that drive ecosystem services. However, a comprehensive understanding of the link between environmental factors, biodiversity, and MEPP remains elusive, especially in mangrove ecosystems that millions of people along tropical coastlines worldwide depend upon. Here, we collated a comprehensive dataset on forest inventory, plant traits, and environmental factors across 93 plots in the Sundarbans Reserved Forests, Bangladesh. The functional composition (FC) of leaf area showed a stronger positive association with MEPP, being determined by total biomass and productivity of the mangroves, sediment organic carbon, and ammonium, phosphorus, and potassium contents of the sediment, than species richness (SR) or functional diversity (FD). Further, FC mediated a strong negative association of sediment salinity, and a positive association of SR, with MEPP. The similar but opposite total associations of SR and sediment salinity with MEPP suggest that species‐rich mangroves could offset the negative impacts of rising salinity on MEPP. When focusing on a single aspect of MEPP, both FD and FC mattered, with the FD of leaf area showing a strong association with mangrove productivity and sediment potassium content, while the FC of leaf litter nitrogen showed the strongest associations with sediment ammonium and phosphorus contents. Therefore, to sustain mangrove ecosystems as a reliable nature‐based solution for climate change mitigation, conservation and (re‐)establishment projects should prioritize regionally dominant species with high leaf area and nitrogen content, plus functionally different species to support the ecosystem processes and services provided by mangroves.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional composition outweighs taxonomic and functional diversity in maintaining ecosystem properties and processes of mangrove forests

Rahman,

Zimmer,

Donato

et al. 2024

Global Change Biology

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“…Additional evidence supporting the notion that Ecosystem Design with limited species richness may be feasible is the fact that some species-poor mangrove forests of the AEP are (almost) as productive as species-rich forests of the IWP, which supports the notion that Ecosystem Design with limited numbers of (re-)established species may be justified. Quadros et al (2021) recently explained this observation, which apparently contradicts the biodiversity-productivity paradigm, by noting that the two dominant species of many regions of the AEP (R. mangle and A. germinans) are very different from each other with respect to a suite of functional traits, while many species of IWP mangrove forests are more similar to each other. This conclusion concurs with the idea that a few, significantly different, species might be as efficient in providing particular ecosystem services as many, very similar species (c.f.…”

Section: Ecosystem Service-provisioning and Biodiversitymentioning

confidence: 97%

“…By contrast, mangrove forests of the Atlantic-East Pacific (AEP) are relatively species-poor and often develop monospecific stands on a small-to medium scale (c.f. Quadros et al, 2021). These ecological differences translate into the need for different approaches to, and aims of, mangrove management (Lugo, 2002, for conservation).…”

Section: How and Where To (Re-)establishmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In some cases, mono-specific plantations reflect natural conditions, such as in many Amazonian mangrove forests of Northern Brazil (e.g., Quadros et al, 2021), or in zones dominated by S. alba (Bosire et al, 2003) in Southeast Asia. Along the same line, monospecific restoration can perform better than mixed-species restoration for specific ecosystem services (Su et al, 2021).…”

Section: Species Selection and Propagule Preparation In Nurseriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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When nature needs a helping hand: Different levels of human intervention for mangrove (re-)establishment

Zimmer

Ajonina

Amir

et al. 2022

Front. For. Glob. Change

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Protecting existing mangrove forests is a priority for global conservation because of the wide range of services that these coastal forests provide to humankind. Despite the recent reduction in global rates of mangrove loss, high historical loss rates mean that there are at least 800,000 ha globally that are potentially suitable for mangrove re-establishment. Recently deposited mud banks or intertidal, previously terrestrial, land might provide additional habitat for expanding mangrove areas locally. There is a long history of mangrove rehabilitation. However, despite numerous good examples of, and growing expertise in, natural or assisted (re-)establishment activities, most mangrove planting efforts, for instance, either fail entirely or meet with only limited success. Exposed to waves and currents and subject to tidal inundation, mangroves differ from terrestrial forests, and approaches to, or tools for, terrestrial forest restoration cannot easily be transferred to mangrove forests. Successful mangrove (re-)establishment usually requires a robust understanding of the abiotic and biotic conditions of the chosen site, the ecological requirements of the mangrove species used or facilitated, the reasons for previous mangrove loss or degradation, as well as the barriers–both societal and ecological–that have prevented natural recovery to date. Because most mangrove forests are socio-ecological systems, with which local human populations are intimately engaged, (re-)establishment will normally require the support of, and engagement with, local communities and other local stakeholders. Here, we summarize where, when and why (re-)establishment of mangroves is needed and how to assess this need. We discuss a range of potential aims and goals of mangrove (re-)establishment along with potential pitfalls along the way from conceiving the initial idea to its realization. We compare different technical and conceptual approaches to mangrove (re-)establishment, their challenges and opportunities, and their design and financial requirements, as well as potential solutions. We ground our final outlook and recommendations on examples of successful efforts and the factors that rendered (re-)establishment successful in the past.

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“…Mangroves are not considered to be a sclerophyllous ecosystem, despite the presence of thick, leathery leaves on mangrove trees. Many leaf traits of true mangroves are more similar to those found in plants from drier conditions, indicating the notion that a saline environment produces physiological sensitivity to periods of dryness (Quadros et al, 2021). The presence of sclerophylly in mangrove species might be viewed as a mechanism used by the plants to increase the effectiveness of water usage when environmental conditions are uncontrollable (Sereneski-de et al, 2013).…”

Section: Leaf Slenderness Leaf-specific Area Leaf-specific Mass Densi...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Avicennia germinans leaf traits in degraded, restored, and natural mangrove ecosystems of Guyana

Dookie,

Jaikishun,

Ansari

2023

Plant Enviro Interactions

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Mangrove leaves have unique features that enable them to cope with shifting environmental conditions while preserving their general functionality and efficiency. We examined the morphological characteristics and chlorophyll content (spectroscopically) of 600 mature Avicennia germinans leaves selected from 30 trees located in one degraded, one restored, and one natural mangrove ecosystem along Guyana's coastline. Systematic sampling was carried out using the closest individual sampling method in the wet and dry seasons. We hypothesized that both habitat type and seasonality influence the leaf traits and chlorophyll content of A. germinans. Our findings showed that A. germinans leaves are mesophyllous, and traits such as leaf perimeter, area, length, width, dry mass, wet mass, turgid mass, leaf‐specific area, and relative water content showed fluctuations in ecosystems (one‐way ANOVA, p < .05) as well as seasonally (paired t‐test, p < .05). Substantial, positive correlations (p < .05, R > .75) were also established for over 10 leaf parameters in both seasons while PCA and multiple regression analyses further confirmed the strong relationships between leaf morphological features and their respective locations. Changes in chlorophyll concentration were most noticeable in the degraded ecosystem while variations in leaf traits were more pronounced in the restored mangrove area. This may be due to the various disturbances found in each ecosystem coupled with fluctuations in the seasons. Our results demonstrate that mangroves, to some extent, alter their plant structures to cope with environmental stressors present in the various ecosystems they thrive in to maintain their survival.

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Functional Traits of Terrestrial Plants in the Intertidal: A Review on Mangrove Trees

Cited by 20 publications

References 60 publications

Functional composition outweighs taxonomic and functional diversity in maintaining ecosystem properties and processes of mangrove forests

Functional composition outweighs taxonomic and functional diversity in maintaining ecosystem properties and processes of mangrove forests

When nature needs a helping hand: Different levels of human intervention for mangrove (re-)establishment

Avicennia germinans leaf traits in degraded, restored, and natural mangrove ecosystems of Guyana

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