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Mangrove litter dynamics in La Mancha Lagoon, Veracruz, Mexico

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Abstract

In the mangrove surrounding the coastal lagoon of La Mancha, Veracruz, Mexico, we studied litter fall, litter standing crop, and turnover rates in four different mangrove settings, based on the ecological classification of Lugo and Snedaker (1974). We studied those three prominent ecological processes at the basin, fringe and riverine mangrove settings, being the last one a relict riverine stand. The aim was to describe and compare litter dynamics among mangrove types in a lagoon with an ephemeral inlet, as a way of understanding functional heterogeneity within this coastal ecosystem. The daily average values of litter fall were different (P < 0.01) among mangrove site basin I, formed by Avicennia germinans and Rhizophora mangle (2.35 g/m2/day); basin II, formed by Laguncularia racemosa, Avicennia germinans, and Rhizophora mangle (2.93 g/m2/day); fringe with Rhizophora mangle (2.13 g/m2/day); and relic riverine, also with R. mangle (4.70 g/m2/day). The amount of litter standing crop was different among sites (P < 0.001), and also between the dry and rainy season, for each mangrove type (P < 0.001). Turnover ratios were higher in basin I and basin II sites (6.34 and 7.44 times per year) than in relic riverine and fringe mangroves (1.49 and 2.39 times per year). Interstitial salinity and sediment nutrients varied among mangrove types and could influence litter production. Since this lagoon has an ephemeral inlet, continuous inundation throughout 7–8 months per year has an important effect on litter dynamics.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Robert R. Twilley for the sediment analyses performed in the Laboratory of Analytical Services of the Center of Ecology and Environmental Technology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Jorge López-Portillo, Felipe García Oliva, and Miguel Equihua Zamora reviewed the manuscript and made important contributions to it. We are very grateful to three anonymous reviewers whose comments helped improve the manuscript. This study was financed through three grants: D-0-97/022 from the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature, 25938-N from CONACYT, and SEMARNAT-2002-C01-0190.

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  1. Departamento de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Km 2.5 Carretera Antigua a Coatepec, No. 351. Congregación el Haya, Apartado Postal 63, Xalapa, Veracruz, 91070, Mexico

    Marco Erick Utrera-López & Patricia Moreno-Casasola

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  1. Marco Erick Utrera-López
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  2. Patricia Moreno-Casasola
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Correspondence to Marco Erick Utrera-López.

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Utrera-López, M.E., Moreno-Casasola, P. Mangrove litter dynamics in La Mancha Lagoon, Veracruz, Mexico. Wetlands Ecol Manage 16, 11–22 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-007-9042-x

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