The productivity and composition of mangrove forests, Laguna de T�rminos, Mexico

Published Date
March 1987, Vol.27(3):267–284, doi:10.1016/0304-3770(87)90046-5

Title 

The productivity and composition of mangrove forests, Laguna de Términos, Mexico

• Author 

• John W. Day Jr. ¹
• William H. Conner ¹
• Francisco Ley-Lou ^2,∗
• Richard H. Day ¹
• Alejandro Machado Navarro ²

• 1Coastal Ecology Institute, Center for Wetland Resources, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, U.S.A.
• 2Estación de Investigaciones Marinas, Instituto de Ciencias del Mary y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ap. post 30, Cd. del Carmen, Campeche, Mexico

Accepted 28 August 1986. Available online 25 June 2003.

Abstract

The composition and productivity of two mangrove sites surrounding the Laguna de Términos, Mexico, were studied from March 1979 to January 1984. Measurements were made of the tree composition, above-ground woody biomass changes, and litterfall production at a high-salinity fringing site and a low-salinity riverine site. Rhizophora mangle L. was the dominant tree at the fringing site, but occurred only at the water's edge at the riverine site. Avicennia germinans L. dominated the inland area of the riverine site. Laguncularia racemosa Gaertn. f. had a more even distribution from shore to inland and from site to site. Average diameter at breast height (DBH) was greater at the riverine site for each of the three species; however, tree density (trees > 2.5 cm DBH) was more than twice as high at the fringing site (7510 ha⁻¹) than at the riverine site (3360 ha⁻¹). Wood production (1206 g m⁻² year⁻¹vs. 772 g m⁻² year⁻¹) and litterfall (1252 g m⁻² year⁻¹ vs. 835 g m⁻²) were higher at the riverine site than at the fringing site. Total estimated above-ground net production was 2458 g m⁻² year⁻¹ at the riverine site and 1607 g m⁻² year⁻¹ at the fringing site.

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