Winter climate change and coastal wetland foundation species: salt marshes vs. mangrove forests in the southeastern United States

We live in an era of unprecedented ecological change in which ecologists and natural resource managers are increasingly challenged to anticipate and prepare for the ecological effects of future global change. In this study, we investigated the potential effect of winter climate change upon salt marsh and mangrove forest foundation species in the southeastern United States. Our research addresses the following three questions: (1) What is the relationship between winter climate and the presence and abundance of mangrove forests relative to salt marshes; (2) How vulnerable are salt marshes to winter climate change‐induced mangrove forest range expansion; and (3) What is the potential future distribution and relative abundance of mangrove forests under alternative winter climate change scenarios? We developed simple winter climate‐based models to predict mangrove forest distribution and relative abundance using observed winter temperature data (1970–2000) and mangrove forest and salt marsh habitat data. Our results identify winter climate thresholds for salt marsh–mangrove forest interactions and highlight coastal areas in the southeastern United States (e.g., Texas, Louisiana, and parts of Florida) where relatively small changes in the intensity and frequency of extreme winter events could cause relatively dramatic landscape‐scale ecosystem structural and functional change in the form of poleward mangrove forest migration and salt marsh displacement. The ecological implications of these marsh‐to‐mangrove forest conversions are poorly understood, but would likely include changes for associated fish and wildlife populations and for the supply of some ecosystem goods and services.     

广州小斑螟发生与环境因子的关系

广州小斑螟是红树林的一种灾害性的食叶害虫.通过室内饲养和野外观察,对广州小斑螟的发生和环境因素的关系进行了详细的研究.结果表明,随着龄级的增加,取食量增大;在不同样地不同滩位的虫口密度差异性规律不同;在单株白骨壤的不同方位虫口密度差异显著,正南方向虫口密度最高,正西、正北虫口密度最低;在单株白骨壤的中上部明显高于下部;广州小斑螟大龄幼虫较耐水淹,水淹6h的死亡率为0;不同地区温度的差异可导致广州小斑螟的发育进度的不同.     

Detrital traits affect substitutability of a range‐expanding foundation species across latitude

Climate‐driven range shifts of foundation species could alter ecosystem processes and community composition by providing different resources than resident foundation species. Along the US Atlantic coast, the northward expanding foundation species, black mangrove Avicennia germinans, is replacing the dominant salt marsh foundation species, marsh cordgrass Spartina alterniflora. These species have distinct detrital attributes that ostensibly provide different resources to epifauna. We experimentally examined how detritus of these species affects decomposition and community composition in different habitat contexts at regional and local scales. First, we manipulated detritus identity (Avicennia, Spartina) at 13 sites across a 5° latitudinal gradient spanning mangrove, mixed marsh‐mangrove and salt marsh habitats. Across latitude, we found that Avicennia detritus decomposed 2–4 times faster than Spartina detritus, suggesting that detrital turnover will increase with mangrove expansion. Epifaunal abundance and richness increased 2–7 times from south to north (mangrove to salt marsh) and were equivalent between Avicennia and Spartina detritus except for crabs, a dominant taxonomic group that preferred Spartina detritus. Second, to examine the whether changing habitat context affected regional patterns, we manipulated detritus identity and surrounding habitat type (mangrove, salt marsh) at a single mixed site, also including inert mimics to separate structural and nutritional roles of detritus. Epifaunal richness was similar between the two detrital types, but crabs were 2–7 times more abundant in Spartina detritus due to its structural attributes. Surrounding habitat type did not influence decomposition rate or community patterns, which suggests that latitudinal influences, not surrounding habitat, drove the regional community patterns in the first experiment. Overall, mangrove expansion could alter epifaunal communities due to the lower structural value and faster turnover of mangrove detritus. As species shift with changing climate, understanding foundation species substitutability is critical to predict community change, but we must account for concomitant environmental changes that also modify communities.     

Salinity increases the triterpenoid content of a salt secretor and a non-salt secretor mangrove

The present study describes the effect of salinity on the triterpenoid content of the salt secretor mangrove Avicennia marina and the non-secretor Rhizophora stylosa. Mangrove seedlings were grown for eight months in 0%, 0.5%, 1.5%, 2.0% and 3.0% salt concentration. The growth of both species was increased by salt with maximal stimulation at 1.5%, and this elevation appeared to be attenuated by increasing the salt concentration above 1.5%. The triterpenoid compositions of three types of chemical structures, lupane (lupeol, lupenone), oleanane (β-amyrin, taraxerol, germanicol), and ursane (α-amyrin), were studied. In addition, the phytosterol components campesterol, stigmasterol and β-sitosterol were analyzed. The total triterpenoid contents in the roots and leaves of A. marina for the 0% group were 87.0 and 66.2 μg g⁻¹, respectively, and increased significantly to 173.1 and 142.6 μg g⁻¹ with 3% salinity. The higher salinity also significantly increased the total concentration of phytosterols in the leaves and roots of this species. A similar increase in the concentration of both triterpenoids and phytosterols was observed in the roots and leaves of R. stylosa with increasing salt concentration. Thus, the triterpenoid concentration was increased by salinity in the roots and leaves of both A. marina and R. stylosa irrespective of their differences in salt management by salt excretion or by a non-excretion mechanism. Comparison of the triterpenoid concentration in four species of growing mangrove seedlings revealed a correlation between the total triterpenoid content and the salt tolerance based on the habitat zonation on Iriomote Island. A. marina thrives closest to sea and had the highest content of triterpenoids (173.1 μg g⁻¹ in 3% salt group). Therefore, it is likely that the triterpenoid content play an important role in mangrove plants for protection from salinity in both salt-secretors and non-secretors.     

挖捕泥丁对红树植物白骨壤幼苗生长影响的模拟

沿海群众为了增加收入挖掘林下滩涂海洋经济动物可口革囊星虫,这是导致中国红树林退化的一个重要原因.本文研究了挖掘深度、弧度和频率3个因素对1年生白骨壤幼苗的苗高、基径、单叶面积、比叶面积、生物量和死根干质量等生长指标的影响,了解挖掘活动对红树林生长的影响机理,并筛选出红树林健康状况的评估指标.结果表明:挖掘活动使白骨壤幼苗的苗高和基径增长量、单叶面积、比叶面积和生物量显著减少,而死根干质量显著增加;挖掘深度和弧度对幼苗生长具有明显影响,但频率的影响不显著;当挖掘深度＜5 cm、弧度＜240°、每月2次以下时,对幼苗的伤害较轻,而挖掘深度＞5 cm则会对幼苗造成严重影响.     

白骨壤模拟湿地系统中磷的分配循环及其净化效应

在温室中建立红树林植物白骨壤模拟湿地系统 ,分别用正常、5倍和 10倍 3种不同浓度的人工配置的污水每周定时定量对模拟系统进行污灌 1a。研究营养污染物 P在系统中的分配、循环及其被净化的效果。结果表明 :随污水处理浓度的升高 ,被更换的潮汐水中的含 P量和土壤含 P量都有明显提高 ;植物体各部分含 P量的高低顺序排列为 :叶 >茎 >根 ;在植物 -土壤系统中4个组分 CA0 、CA1 、CA5和 CA1 0 植物中 P元素的周转期依次为 4 .70 a、4 .6 1a、3.80 a和 5 .4 4 a;模拟植物 -土壤系统对污水中 P的净化效果显著 ,CA1 、CA5和 CA1 0 组的净化率分别为 81.2 3%、94 .4 0 %和 95 .6 3%。     

红树林群落优势种群自疏过程的生长动态

在深圳福田红树林保护区设置永久样地,经1994、1996、1998和2002年4次调查表明：群落中个体的断枝、死亡现象很明显,样地总面积200m^2中出现的总个体数分别为417、341、196和132个,种群平均密度依次为2．08、1．70、0．98和0．66个／m^2;间隔期的死亡率依次为18．2％、42．5％和32．6％。种群个体存在明显的增粗生长,在每2年间隔期,优势种群桐花树(Aegiceras corntculatum(L．)Blanco)、秋茄(Kandelia candel(L．)Druce)和白骨壤(Avicennia marina(Forsk．)Vierh．)的胸径增加最大值分别达3．63cm、2．45cm、4．52cm,且以白骨壤加粗较大。增高生长也很明显,第二次调查时341个个体中,233个出现增高生长,第三次调查时,196个个体中127个出现增高生长;2年间隔期,以桐花树增高生长最普遍,达1．5m,秋茄增高生长最大的达1．9m,白骨壤达1．8m。生物量亦呈明显的相关变化,在逐次间隔调查中,地上部分总生物量依次降低,或稍增加后再次降低,但存活种群个体的平均生物量大多依次增加,4次调查期间单位面积的总生物量分别为7．57kg／m^2、8．36kg／m^2、5．15kg／m^2和7．7lkg／m^2,与谭凤仪等(1995b)焊期通过标准木等方式的计算结果相似。研究结果证实红树林群落的自疏过程是一种重要的演变过程,以植株、分枝干枯频繁发生为特征;演替过程中,新苗出现很少,而高度(长度)生长、增粗生长、干枯发生等与群落中种群的组成、结构、密度状况等直接相关。     

Endophytic bacterial diversity of Avicennia marina helps to confer resistance against salinity stress in Solanum lycopersicum

The current study aimed to explore the endophytic bacterial diversity of Avicennia marina and the potential roles of these endophytes in counteracting saline conditions in tomato plants. Molecular analysis revealed strains from Paenibacillus, Bacillus, Microbacterium, Citrobacter, Lysinibacillus, Halomonas, Virgibacillus, Exiguobacterium, and Vibrio. However, Bacillus pumilus AM11 and Exiguobacterium sp. AM25 showed significantly higher growth in saline media. In response to salinity stress, tomato plants treated with AM11 and AM25 showed significantly higher (～15–23%) biomass, photosynthetic rate and pigment accumulation compared to controls. Salinity-exposed plants had significantly reduced growth and increased (three-fold) lipid peroxidation, whilst glutathione, catalase, and peroxidase activities were significantly reduced. In contrast, AM11, AM25, and methionine improved these physiochemical attributes. The study concludes that the application of bacterial endophytes from plants growing in saline conditions can offer other plants similar stress-resistance potential. Such halophytic bacterial strains can be used to improve plant growth in saline conditions.     

Size structure and distribution of Ovassiminea brevicula (Gastropoda) in a Thai mangrove swamp

Ovassiminea brevicula (Pfeiffer) (Assimineidae: Gastropoda) was oneof the most abundant and representative benthic invertebrates in the SamutSongkhram mangrove swamp, Thailand. It lived mainly in the mangrove forest with high average densities ranging from 44 to 340 snails·m^-2and abundant in the sites where much litter, dead branches and seedlingswere present. Average shell length in the mature forest ranged from 4.73to 5.74 mm (range: 2.26–8.30 mm) and size structures showeddifferent patterns among the stations. In the seaward mudflat, O. breviculaappeared immediately after the saplings of Avicennia alba Blume1826 were planted. Thereafter, its densities increased with the growth of A. alba trees, probably due to provision of favourable microhabitats underthe canopies. In the mudflat with only small saplings and outside the canopyof the young forest 2 years after planting, mean shell lengths were 3.45 and3.19 mm respectively. Under the canopy of the young forest, however,mean shell length was 4.34 mm with a few larger snails. Three cohortswere separated for snail populations in the mature forest and larval recruitmentseemed to occur from February to May.     

The importance of mangrove species association to the population biology of the sesarmine crabs Parasesarma affinis and Perisesarma bidens

The population biology of two sesarmine crabs, Perisesarma bidens andParasesarma affinis, was studied over a two-year period in twomangrove forests, one dominated by Kandelia candel and the other by Avicennia marina. Despite the fact that the mangrove forests werecontiguous, shared the same water supply and were less than 20 cmdifferent in tidal position, significant differences in population biology ofboth crab species were recorded. Individuals of both species associated withthe topographically higher Kandelia candel forest were more abundant,had a higher tissue organic content, higher gonosomatic and hepatosomaticindices than their counterparts in the Avicennia marina forest. Femaleindividuals of both species were also larger in size in the Kandeliaforest. These differences result in higher secondary production of the crabsat the Kandelia forest. By contrast, association with different mangrovespecies did not result in significant differences in the sex ratio, growth andreproductive periodicity, and size-specific reproductive output of the crabs.The results suggest significant influence by the associated mangrove specieson the population biology of the crabs, through processes such asmodification of the physical habitat fabric and/or provision of trophicresources of different quality and quantity by the mangroves. This influencefurther reiterates the bi-directional nature of mangrove-crab interactions andthe need to consider these intricate interactions in future studies on tropicalmangrove structure and function.