Tropical Shoreline Plants Open Beaches Dunes Rocky Shores Mangrove Communities

Coccoloba uvifera Sandy seashores Grows 2m to 8m Small white flowers

Coccoloba uvifera up to 50 fruits on a single cluster gives appearance of a bunch of grapes “sea grape” edible pulp (jelly)

Cocos nucifera Sandy seashores Grows to 30m Up to 100 years 1 - 2kg fruit

Cocos nucifera drupe light and buoyant floats long distances in water viable for a long time contains one seed solid & liquid endosperm

Problems Salt water Salt spray High temperatures Dryness

Adaptations Succulence - water storage Thick cuticle - prevent water loss Sunken stomata - prevent water loss CAM metabolism - prevent water loss Osmolytes - balance osmotic potential Filtration - exclude salt Salt glands - remove salt

Mangal tropical shoreline community in which various species of MANGROVE are the dominant plant species

Mangals - Tropical Salt Marshes

Mangal 80 + mostly unrelated plant species C % of tropical shores high productivity - 900g C/m 2 /year 50% exported to coastal zone Habitats support 1300 species of animals Habitats support 1300 species of animals 628 are mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and amphibians 628 are mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and amphibians

World Mangrove Distribution

planet has lost 33-50% of its mangrove forests over the last fifty years planet has lost 33-50% of its mangrove forests over the last fifty years urbanization, exploitation and sea level rise urbanization, exploitation and sea level rise The rate of loss of mangroves each year tops the loss of the rainforest at 2.1% The rate of loss of mangroves each year tops the loss of the rainforest at 2.1% At current rate of destruction, all the world’s mangroves will disappear in 50 years At current rate of destruction, all the world’s mangroves will disappear in 50 years

Different tolerances to salt & flooding Zonation & succession

Mangrove Succession - Red Mangrove - Rhizophora mangle

Red Mangrove - basis of community 1. Provide substrate for growth of other species

Red Mangrove - Tolerating Anaerobic Mud Lenticels Aerobic mud Anaerobic mud prop roots

lenticel O2O2 O 2 To prop root [O 2 ] time apply grease to root 48 h Red Mangrove - Tolerating Anaerobic Mud

Red Mangrove - dealing with salt lacks glandular secretory structures salt in xylem sap 100 times less concentrated than in seawater excludes salt from entering the roots ultrafiltration in the cell membranes of roots

Red Mangrove - basis of community 2. Trap sediment and stabilize shore

Red Mangrove - basis of community 2. Trap sediment and stabilize shore

Black Mangrove (Avicenna) - second stage of succession

Aerobic Anaerobic Pneumatophores (air root) Radial root Anchor root Structure of the Black Mangrove

Black Mangrove pneumatophores

Black Mangrove - Coping with salt Salt secreting glands on leaf

(Final) Successional Stage - White Mangrove - Laguncularia racemosa -least tolerant of salt and anaerobic muds - grows to 18m

Buttonwood - Conocarpus erectus m intolerant of salt used for charcoal

Mangrove Succession and Zonation

Mangrove Reproduction - Red Mangrove Wind Pollinated - viviparous - germinates on parent plant propagule

Mangrove Reproduction - Black Mangrove Wind Pollinated propagule

Mangrove Reproduction - White Mangrove Insect Pollinated

Mangrove Food Chain Direct grazing by crabs Leaf particles colonized by bacteria and fungi Bacterial and fungal recolonization fish shrimp Particulate organic matter Small fish Small crustacea detritus protozoa bacteria algae Absorbed by sediment Eaten by mud whelks Dissolved organic substances MANGROVE LEAF algae