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Are Peri-Urban Mangroves Vulnerable? An Assessment Through Litter Fall Studies

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Estuaries: A Lifeline of Ecosystem Services in the Western Indian Ocean

Part of the book series: Estuaries of the World ((EOTW))

Abstract

The productivity of an over-exploited and sewage polluted peri-urban mangrove was assessed through litter fall studies to establish vulnerability to human actions and climate change. Litter from three common mangrove species, Rhizophora mucronata Lam. (Rhizophoraceae), Sonneratia alba Sm. (Sonneratiaceae), and Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. (Avicenniaceae) were monitored over a period of two years. The mean annual litter fall was estimated at 12.16 ± 2.89 t ha−1yr−1. Litter fall was seasonal in both content and quantity, with high rates occurring in the dry North Easterly Monsoon (NEM) season, January-April (ca. 5.10 ± 1.36 g DW m−2 day−1) and lower rates in the cool and wet South Easterly Monsoon (SEM) season, June-October (ca. 2.53 ± 0.47 g DW m−2 day−1). Litter fall varied significantly between species, R. mucronata recording the highest annual rate (15.34 ± 3.34 t ha−1yr−1), with no significant difference between A. marina and S. alba, (11.44 ± 2.90 and 9.69 ± 5.26 t ha−1yr−1 respectively). Sewage exposure did not affect litter fall rates for all species, but affected leaf nutrient content as expressed by the leaf δ15N signature. A strong correlation between leaf C:N ratio and leaf δ15N signature was observed, indicating a more open N cycle, favouring δ15N accumulation. Sewage exposure therefore does not necessarily translate into elevated productivity in mangroves, but causes alteration of leaf nutrient content depending on species. Prevailing climatic conditions however, may influence litter fall and thus phenology and health of the system. The vulnerability of the Tudor Creek mangroves to climate change may be ranked high due to low production (20%<) of reproductive materials and a die back of seaward fringe S. alba stand.

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Acknowledgements

We express our appreciation to the local communities for their support in the sampling campaigns, and colleagues at KMFRI and KWS Coast Region Research station. The work described in this thesis was supported by a PhD. Scholarship from the Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR) in Belgium and the EU funded PUMPSEA project (FP6 – INCO contract no. 510863). Further reanalysis of the data was done through funding from WIOMSA MASMA funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wetlands and Marine Conservation, Parks and Reserves, Kenya Wildlife Service, 40241, 00100, Nairobi, Kenya

    Mohamed Omar Said Mohamed

  2. Department of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry (ANCH), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B, 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Perrine Mangion

  3. Kenyan Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, 81651, 80100, Mombasa, Kenya

    Steve Mwangi & James Gitundu Kairo

  4. Laboratory of General Botany and Nature Management, Mangrove Management Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B, 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Farid Dahdouh-Guebas & Nico Koedam

  5. Département de Biologie des Organismes, Université Libre de Bruxelles, ULB Campus du Solbosch, CP 169, Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 50, B, 1050, Bruxelles, Belgium

    Farid Dahdouh-Guebas

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    Salif Diop

  2. WWF Coastal East Africa Initiative, Dares Salaam, Tanzania

    Peter Scheren

  3. College of Agricultural Sciences and Fisheries Technology, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

    John Ferdinand Machiwa

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Mohamed, M.O.S., Mangion, P., Mwangi, S., Kairo, J.G., Dahdouh-Guebas, F., Koedam, N. (2016). Are Peri-Urban Mangroves Vulnerable? An Assessment Through Litter Fall Studies. In: Diop, S., Scheren, P., Ferdinand Machiwa, J. (eds) Estuaries: A Lifeline of Ecosystem Services in the Western Indian Ocean. Estuaries of the World. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25370-1_3

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