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Leaf phenological traits and leaf longevity of three mangrove species (Rhizophoraceae) on Okinawa Island, Japan

  • Special Section: Original Article
  • Towards a cooperative research future in the East China Sea—selected research from the 8th International Workshop on Oceanogra
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Abstract

Data on leaf phenological traits and longevity of mangroves are important for improved understanding of the adaptation strategies, growth, and productivity of these trees. We studied leaf phenological traits and longevity of Rhizophora stylosa, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, and Kandelia obovata monthly from April 2008 to March 2009. Both tree sampling (direct observation) and litterfall (indirect observation) were used. All leaves and branches of each sample tree were numbered and marked with tags at the beginning of the experiment. Peaks of leaf recruitment and death occurred in July and June, respectively, for B. gymnorrhiza and K. obovata but both occurred in July for R. stylosa. Leaf recruitment for all the species was lowest in January; leaf death was minimum in December for R. stylosa and B. gymnorrhiza, and in January for K. obovata. Leaf recruitment for the three species was significantly correlated with monthly mean air temperature and monthly hours of sunshine. K. obovata and R. stylosa leaf death was correlated with monthly mean air temperature, monthly hours of sunshine, monthly mean air vapor pressure deficit, and monthly rainfall; B. gymnorrhiza leaf death was not correlated with any environmental factors. Specific leaf area for R. stylosa (45.4 ± 1.0 cm2 g−1) and K. obovata (48.6 ± 0.8 cm2 g−1) was not significantly different, but means for these two species were significantly different from that for B. gymnorrhiza (71.0 ± 2.8 cm2 g−1). Mean leaf longevity was 13.9 months for R. stylosa, 17.2 months for B. gymnorrhiza, and 12.1 months for K. obovata. Different measured variables between B. gymnorrhiza and the other two species may have been because of the growth strategy and shade tolerance of B. gymnorrhiza. Mean leaf longevity increased with increasing mean annual air temperature.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Drs. R. Suwa, K. Analuddin, and M. Wu, and Ms. R. Deshar and Mr. K. Mouctar for their invaluable help with the fieldwork. This study was partially supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (nos. 22658051 and 23380094) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan. We are grateful to anonymous reviewers for providing us with very useful comments and insightful suggestions for improving the quality of the manuscript.

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  1. Graduate School of Engineering and Science, Laboratory of Ecology and Systematics, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan

    Sahadev Sharma & Md. Kamruzzaman

  2. Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Chittagong University, Chittangong, 4331, Bangladesh

    A. T. M. Rafiqul Hoque

  3. Laboratory of Ecology and Systematics, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan

    Akio Hagihara

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  1. Sahadev Sharma
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Correspondence to Akio Hagihara.

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Sharma, S., Kamruzzaman, M., Rafiqul Hoque, A.T.M. et al. Leaf phenological traits and leaf longevity of three mangrove species (Rhizophoraceae) on Okinawa Island, Japan. J Oceanogr 68, 831–840 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-012-0133-9

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