INTERTIDAL COMMUNITIES I
MANGROVES AND SALT MARSHES

MANGROVES

HANDOUTS: 1. Species List for mangrove swamps.

I. DEFINITIONS

A. Etymology

Mangrove is from a Portuguese word for tree (mangue) and an English word for a stand of trees (grove)

B. Useage

1. Tree

Mangrove describes a type of tree growing in estuarine environments.

2. Community

A Mangrove community consists of plants growing in estuarine environments.
Synonyms include: tidal forest, tidal swamp, mangrove community, mangrove ecosystem, mangal and mangrove swamps

C. Tomlinson (1986)

According to Tomlinson, true mangroves have the following characteristics:

1. Morphological Specialization

Morphological specialization to the coastal environment, such as aerial roots and vivipary.

2. Salt handling

Mangroves posess a physiological mechanism for salt exclusion and often the ability to excrete salt

3. Niche fidelity

Mangroves display fidelity to the mangrove environment.

4. Taxonomic isolation

Taxonomic isolation from terrestrial relatives.

D. Diversity

Worldwide there are 34 species (9 genera - 5 families) that comprise major elements and 27 species (11 genera and 11 families) that comprise the minor elements of mangrove ecosystems.

II. PHYSICAL FEATURES

A. Distribution

1. Tropical

2. Southern

90% of the mangroves in Florida are located in Dade, Collier, Lee and Monroe Counties. Northern limits are Ponce de Leon Inlet on Atlantic Coast and Cedar Key on the Gulf .

B. Physical Attributes

1. climate

Mangroves do not occur where annual temp is below 19o C (66oF), as climatic stress increases plant stature decreases, hurricane prone areas also have reduced stature

2. salt water

Mangroves are facultative halophytes, but are usually out-competed in freshwater environments

3. Water fluctuation

- disperses propagates, transports nutrients and removes hydrogen sulfide, mangroves best developed where tidal fluctuations are great or where there is a broad, shallow bays with seasonal freshwater run-off (e.g., Everglades)

4. terrestrial nutrients

Runoff of terrestrial nutrients

5. substrate and wave energy

Mangroves flourish in depositional environments with low energy.

III. PLANTS

A. Plants

1. Avicennia germinans

Black mangroves are characterized by pneutmatophores (2-20 cm above the soil), can reach a height of 20 m, their propagules are lima-bean shaped, and they flower in spring and summer.

2. Rhizophora mangle

Red mangroves are characterized by prop roots, may reach 25 m in height, their propagules are pencil shaped, they flower generally in summer and spring but can flower throughout the year, and posess a small reserve of leaf buds.

3. Laguncularia racemosa

White mangroves are trees to 15 m, their propagules are small diamond shaped, and they flower in spring and early summer.

4. Conocarpus erectus

Buttonwood is a mangrove associate, tree to 14 m, not viviparous.

B. Adaptations

1. prop roots and drop roots

Lenticels allow oxygenation. Pneumatophores function similarly, but are more susceptible to clogging.

3. salt exclusion and salt extrusion

4. Salt tolerance

a.        salt exclusion - red mangrove

b.        salt excretion - black and white mangrove

c.        reds limited to soil salinities below 60-65 ppt, blacks and white can grow at 80-90 ppt

d.        salt flats - mangrove free areas

5. Propagules

Propagules float, germinate on the tree, obligate dispersal time 8 days for white, 14 days for (35 days viability) black and 40 days (110 days viability) for red mangroves (12 months)




C. Plant Species List For Mangroves

1. Trees

Red mangrove

 

Rhizophora mangle

Black mangrove

 

Avicennia germinans

White mangrove

 

Laguncularia racemosa

Buttonwood

 

Conocarpus erectus

2. Shrubs

Brazilian pepper

 

Schinus terebinthifoliusEX

3. Herbs

Leather fern

 

Acrostichum danaeifoliumT

Black rush

 

Juncus roemerianus

Glasswort

 

Salicornia virginica

Saltgrass

 

Distichilis spicata

IV. ANIMALS

A. Diversity is high

B. Animal species list for Mangroves

1. Birds

Great blue heron

 

Ardea herodius

Green-backed heron

 

Butorides striatus

Great egret

 

Casmerodius albus

Belted kingfisher

 

Ceryle alcyon

Little blue heron

 

Egretta caeruleaSSC

White ibis

 

Eudocimus albusSSC

Snowy egret

 

Egretta thulaSSC

Tricolor heron

 

Egretta tricolorSSC

Fish crow

 

Corvus ossifragus

Wood stork

 

Mycteria americanaT

Greater Flamingo

 

Phoenicopterus ruberSSC

Osprey

 

Pandion haliaetusSSC

Double-crested cormorant

 

Phalacrocorax auritus

Brown pelican

 

Pelicanus occidentalisSSC

Bald eagle

 

Haliaeetus leucocephalusT

White-crowned pigeon

 

Columba leucocephalaT

Roseatte spoonbill

 

Ajaia ajajaSSC

2. Mammals

Florida panther

 

Felis concolor ssp. coryiT

[state animal]

River otter

 

Lutra canadensis

Raccoon

 

Procyon lotor

Florida manatee

 

Trichechus manatusT

Bottle-nose dolphin

 

Tursiops truncatus

Marsh rabbit

 

Sylvilagus palustris

3. Reptiles

Water moccasin

 

Agkistrodon piscivorus

American crocodile

 

Crocodylus acutusT

4. Fish

Snook

 

Centropomus undecimalis

Mangrove snapper

 

Lutjanus griseus

Tarpon

 

Megalops atlanticus

Mullet

 

Mugil cephalus

Red drum

 

Scieanops ocellatus

5. Crustaceans

Blue crab

 

Callinectes sapidus

Land crab

 

Gecarcinus lateralis

Sand fiddler crab

 

Uca pugilator

6. Insects

Saltmarsh mosquito

 

Aedes taeniorhynchus

Honey bee

 

Apis mellifera

For superscript by species name: C = commercially exploited, SSC = species of special concern, T = threatened. Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission listings. EX = exotic.

 


V. BIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS

A. Endemics

No plants

B. Exotics

Casuarina equisetifolia

 

Austrailian pine

Colubrina asiatica

 

Lather leaf

Schinus teribenthifolius

 

Brazilian pepper

C. Diversity

low for plants.

D. Zonation

1. Red - Black - Buttonwood

White occurs sporadically in open, irregularly flooded areas (Davis 1943)

2. Black Mangroves

Occur on outer fringe in some regions in Florida

3. External physical forces

External physical forces determine zonation according to Egler (1952) and Thom (1967, 1975)

4. Colonization

White and black mangroves are the earliest colonizers on spoil banks in central Florida (Lewis and Dunstan 1975)

5. Mangrove species

Mangrove species can grow in all zones (Rabinowitz (1975)

6. Seed predation

Seed predation also may influence distribution. Seed predation of black mangrove was highest in the mid-intertidal zone (Smith 1987)

7. Competition

White mangroves out compete in red mangroves presence in intertidal zones (Ball 1980)

8. Reducing environments

Black mangrove survives better in strongly reducing environments than does red mangrove (Thibodeau and Nickerson 1986)

VI. ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES

A. Productivity (g C m-2 yr-1)

1.        ranges from 365 to 4380

2.       Red Mangroves produce 8 tons of detritus per hectare per year

B. Succession

Steady-state cyclical or catastrophic climax

A. Importance

Sport and commercial fishing

1. Panulirus argus (spiny lobster)

2. Penaeus duorarum (pink shrimp)

3. Mugil cephalus (mullet)

4. Megalops atlanticus (tarpon)

5. Centropomus undecimalis (snook)

6. Lutjanus apodus (mangrove snapper)

V. HUMAN EFFECTS

B. Pre-Colombian

Aboriginal fishing

C. 18th and 19th century

1. Fishing

2. Dredging

3. change in water quality

4. buttonwood charcoal

5. Egret hunting

 

D. 20th century

1. Changes in water quality

2. Changes in water quantity

3. Dredge and fill

SALT MARSH

HANDOUTS: 1. Species List for salt marsh

I. DEFINITION

Intertidal communities dominated by non-woody, salt tolerant plants

II. PHYSICAL FEATURES

A. Distribution

1. Throughout coastal Florida

2. Best developed where mangroves are absent

B. Cover

Ca. 170,000 ha in Florida

C. Physical Attributes

1. low wave energy

2. high tidal flow

3. low mangrove cover

 

III. PLANTS

A. Diversity low

B. Plant species List for Salt Marsh

1. Herbs

Leather fern

 

Acrostichum danaeifoliumT

Black rush

 

Juncus roemerianus

Glasswort

 

Salicornia virginica

Saltgrass

 

Distichilis spicata

Smooth cord grass

 

Spartina alterniflora

2. Trees

Red mangrove

 

Rhizophora mangle

Black mangrove

 

Avicennia germinans

IV. ANIMALS

A. Diversity and abundance is high

B. Animal species list for Salt Marsh

1. Birds

Red-winged blackbird

 

Agelaius phoeniceus

Roseatte spoonbill

 

Ajaia ajajaSSC

Seaside sparrow

 

Ammodramus maritimusT

Great blue heron

 

Ardea herodius

Green-backed heron

 

Butorides striatus

Great egret

 

Casmerodius albus

Turkey vulture

 

Cathartes aura

Belted kingfisher

 

Ceryle alcyon

Black vulture

 

Coragyps atratus

Fish crow

 

Corvus ossifragus

Little blue heron

 

Egretta caeruleaSSC

Snowy egret

 

Egretta thulaSSC

Tricolor heron

 

Egretta tricolorSSC

White ibis

 

Eudocimus albusSSC

American coot

 

Fulica americana

Bald eagle

 

Haliaeetus leucocephalusT

Wood stork

 

Mycteria americanaT

Osprey

 

Pandion haliaetusSSC

Double-crested cormorant

 

Phalacrocorax auritus

Greater Flamingo

 

Phoenicopterus ruber

Boat-tailed grackle

 

Quiscalus major

2. Mammals

River otter

 

Lutra canadensis

Raccoon

 

Procyon lotor

Marsh rabbit

 

Sylvilagus palustris

3. Reptiles

American crocodile

 

Crocodylus acutusT

4. Insects

Saltmarsh mosquito

 

Aedes taeniorhynchus

5. Crustaceans

Blue crab

 

Callinectes sapidus

Land crab

 

Gecarcinus lateralis

Sand fiddler crab

 

Uca pugilator

For superscript by species name: C = commercially exploited, SSC = species of special concern, T = threatened. Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission listings. EX = exotic.

 



V. BIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS

A. Endemics

No plants

B. Exotics

Colubrina asiatica

C. Diversity

Low for plants

D. Zonation

Distinct but poorly understood

VI. ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES

A. Productivity (g C m-2 yr-1)

Among the highest in the world, in Florida ranges from 130 - 2500

B. Succession

Steady-state cyclical or catastrophic climax, often replaced by mangrove species

VI. HUMAN EFFECTS

A. Importance

Sport and commercial fishing: shrimp, mullet, grouper, blue crabs, oysters, spiny lobster, red snapper, sea trout, calico scallops, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel

B. Pre-Colombian

fishing

C. 18th and 19th century

1. fishing

2. drainage

3. development

D. 20th century

1. over-fishing

2. dredge and fill sites

3. development

4. pollution

5. drainage for mosquito

Aedes taeniorhynchus - Brevard salt marsh 500 Landings per minute on a single person, marshes were ditched in the 1930's as a part of WPA - project. Not effective but it did employ many people. Extensive spraying of DDT. Impounding now has replaced DDT

Marine Science

Intertidal Communities

Mangrove & Salt Marshes

1. Name all the different types of mangroves trees mentioned in

this assignment.

2. What is the origin of the word "mangrove"?

3. What are some synonyms for the mangrove?

4. What are four characteristics of mangroves?

5. Where are mangroves found in Florida?

6. What kind of climate favors the mangrove?

7. What characteristics allow mangroves to do well in a salty environment?

8. What is the function of lenticels9

9. Which mangroves exclude salt from their tissues?

10. Which mangroves excrete salt from their tissues?

11. What are three common birds that are found in mangrove trees?

12. 'What mammals are found in the mangroves?

13. What reptiles are found in the mangroves?

14. Which mangroves are early colonizers ?
15. Why are mangroves important.

Salt Marsh page 2-3

16. Is the diversity of plants in a salt march ( low, high) .

17. What is the definition for the types of plants found in a salt marsh?

18. What characteristics favor the development of salt marshes?

19. What 3 birds are found in a salt marsh that are not found in the mangroves?

20. What mammals are found in salt marshes?

21. Which reptiles and insects are found in both the mangroves and salt marsh?

22. What plant replaces the salt marsh?

23. Why is the salt marsh important?

24. What human activities adversely affect the salt marsh?

25. How often are people attacked by mosquitoes in a salt marsh?