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Nutrient relations of dwarf Rhizophora mangle L. mangroves on peat in eastern Puerto Rico

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Abstract

Dwarf mangroves on peat substrate growing in eastern Puerto Rico (Los Machos, Ceiba State Forest) were analyzed for element concentration, leaf sap osmolality, and isotopic signatures of C and N in leaves and substrate. Mangrove communities behind the fringe presented poor structural development with maximum height below 1.5 m, lacked a main stem, and produced horizontal stems from which rhizophores developed. This growth form departs from other dwarf mangrove sites in Belize, Panama, and Florida. The dwarf mangroves were not stressed by salinity but by the low P availability reflected in low P concentrations in adult and senescent leaves. Low P availability was associated with reduced remobilization of N and accumulation of K in senescent leaves, contrasting with the behavior of this cation in terrestrial plants. Remobilization of N and P before leaf abscission on a weight basis indicated complete resorption of these nutrients. On an area basis, resorption was complete for P but not for N. Sulfur accumulated markedly with leaf age, reaching values up to 400%, compared with relatively modest accumulation of Na (40%) in the same leaves. This suggests a more effective rejection of Na than sulfate at the root level. Dwarf mangrove leaves had more positive δ13C values, which were not related to salinity, but possibly to drought during the dry season due to reduced flooding, and/or reduced hydraulic conductance under P limitation. Negative leaf δ15N values were associated with low leaf P concentrations. Comparison with other R. mangle communities showed that P concentration in adult leaves below 13 mmol kg−1 is associated with negative δ15N values, whereas leaves with P concentrations above 30 mmol kg−1 in non-polluted environments had positive δ15N values.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the biologist Héctor Orta, Managing Officer of the Ceiba State Forest (Department of Natural Resources, Puerto Rico), who provided the logistic facilities and transportation to the site, and Mary Jean Sanchez, Edwin López, and Maribelis Ortiz of IITF laboratory, who processed all the samples for element analyses. Two unknown reviewers of Plant Ecology provided strong and useful criticisms that led to an improved version of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Ecología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Aptdo. 21827, Caracas, 1020 A, Venezuela

    Ernesto Medina

  2. International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, Jardin Botánico Sur, 1201 Calle Ceiba, San Juan, PR, 00926-1119, USA

    Ernesto Medina & Ariel E. Lugo

  3. Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, 00931-3360, USA

    Elvira Cuevas

Authors
  1. Ernesto Medina
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  2. Elvira Cuevas
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  3. Ariel E. Lugo
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Correspondence to Ernesto Medina.

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Medina, E., Cuevas, E. & Lugo, A.E. Nutrient relations of dwarf Rhizophora mangle L. mangroves on peat in eastern Puerto Rico. Plant Ecol 207, 13–24 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-009-9650-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-009-9650-z

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