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Isotopic signatures of stem water reveal differences in water sources accessed by mangrove tree species

  • MANGROVES IN CHANGING ENVIRONMENTS
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Abstract

Mangrove trees are rooted in saline soils which can limit their growth. Access to alternative, less saline water sources may provide important water subsidies. We assessed the hydrogen and oxygen isotopic signatures of soil porewater, groundwater and atmospheric water sources (dew and rainfall) and tree stem water from three mangroves species over two sites that varied in elevation. Although stem water isotopic signatures were most similar to porewater, variation in isotopic values indicated trees also accessed alternative water sources, the degree to which varied over sites and among species. Rhizophora stylosa had lowest values of stable isotopes among the species indicating significant groundwater utilization. In a long-term fertilization experiment we found that growth of Ceriops australis and Lumnitzera racemosa was nitrogen limited, while growth of R. stylosa was nitrogen limited to a lesser extent, suggesting groundwater may also provide nutritional benefits for R. stylosa. The uptake of alternative water sources in addition to saline porewater may improve metabolic function, differentially altering the performance of different species and over sites.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Catherine Bone and Nigel Brothers for their support during field campaigns. This work was supported by the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre for Excellence for Groundwater Research and Training, ARC Discovery Projects DP1096749 and DP150104437 awarded to CEL and MCB, and DE120101706 awarded to RR.

Author contribution

All authors conceived, designed and performed the experiments. CEL and RR analysed the data. CEL wrote the manuscript; RR and MCB edited the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Catherine E. Lovelock & Ruth Reef

  2. School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia

    Ruth Reef

  3. Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT, 0200, Australia

    Marilyn C. Ball

Authors
  1. Catherine E. Lovelock
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  2. Ruth Reef
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  3. Marilyn C. Ball
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Correspondence to Catherine E. Lovelock.

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Guest editors: K. W. Krauss, I. C. Feller, D. A. Friess & R. R. Lewis III / Causes and Consequences of Mangrove Ecosystem Responses to an Ever-Changing Climate

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Lovelock, C.E., Reef, R. & Ball, M.C. Isotopic signatures of stem water reveal differences in water sources accessed by mangrove tree species. Hydrobiologia 803, 133–145 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-017-3149-8

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