Can mangrove plantation enhance the functional diversity of macrobenthic community in polluted mangroves?

Published Date
Received 2 October 2016, Revised 18 January 2017, Accepted 23 January 2017, Available online 26 January 2017

Author

• Jonathan Y.S. Leung^a, b, , , 
• Napo K.M. Cheung^a, c

• ^a Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
• ^b School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
• ^c Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.01.043

Highlights

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How plantation affects the functional diversity of macrobenthic community is studied.

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The biological traits of macrobenthos are analyzed in different habitats and months.

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Mangrove plantation can enhance functional diversity, depending on seasonality.

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Pollution leads to the persistence of typical traits of opportunistic species.

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Pollution control and plantation should be done to fully recover degraded mangroves.

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Abstract

Mangrove plantation is widely applied to re-establish the plant community in degraded mangroves, but its effectiveness to restore the ecological functions of macrobenthic community remains poorly known, especially when pollution may overwhelm its potential positive effect. Here, we tested the effect of mangrove plantation on the ecological functions of macrobenthic community in a polluted mangrove by analyzing biological traits of macrobenthos and calculating functional diversity. Mangrove plantation was shown to enhance the functional diversity and restore the ecological functions of macrobenthic community, depending on seasonality. Given the polluted sediment, however, typical traits of opportunistic species (e.g. small and short-lived) prevailed in all habitats and sampling times. We conclude that mangrove plantation can help diversify the ecological functions of macrobenthic community, but its effectiveness is likely reduced by pollution. From the management perspective, therefore, pollution sources must be stringently regulated and mangrove plantation should be conducted to fully recover degraded mangroves.

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http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X17300723