Changes in the leaf functional traits of mangrove plant assemblages along an intertidal gradient in typical mangrove wetlands in Hainan, China

作者：Zhouwei Yu, Mengli Wang, Zhongyi Sun, Wenjuan Wang, Quan Chen · 发表于：Global Ecology and Conservation · 年份：2023 · DOI：10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02749 · 被引用次数：17 · 研究领域：Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics、Plant and Fungal Species Descriptions、Plant responses to water stress

The understanding of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning linkages under environment change has been advanced immensely by the development and application of the functional trait theory. Intertidal zones, characterized by significant environmental gradient differences, are severely threatened by sea-level rises caused by global warming. The functional trait distribution pattern for mangrove communities along the intertidal gradient and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We investigated differences in the leaf functional traits of mangrove plant assemblages among the high, middle, and low intertidal zones, and their relationships to sediment physicochemical properties, in Dongzhaigang and Qinglan Harbor reserves, Hainan, China. In both reserves, most sediment physicochemical properties (pH; salinity; total potassium, carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur concentrations; organic carbon content; ammonium nitrogen and available phosphorus concentrations) differed significantly among gradient zones. The sediment pH, total phosphorus, and available potassium concentrations differed significantly between the dry and wet seasons. From the low to the high intertidal zone, the mangrove specific leaf area and leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations increased significantly and the leaf thickness decreased significantly. The leaf tannin and lignin concentrations were significantly lower and the leaf phosphorus concentration, nitrogen concentration and hardness were significantly higher in the...