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The interplay between mangroves and saltmarshes at the transition between temperate and subtropical climate in Florida

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Abstract

The interplay between mangroves and saltmarshes at the temperate to subtropical transition in Florida results in dramatic changes to the appearance of the coastal landscape. In the 1980s, freezes killed entire mangrove forests dominated by black mangroves, Avicennia  germinans (L.). Following the freezes, saltmarshes dominated by smooth cordgrass, Spartina  alterniflora Loisel, revegetated the intertidal zone. After a decade of mild winters, however, mangroves are beginning to reclaim the area. The rate of mangrove expansion was determined by comparing aerial photography (change from 1995 to 1999), and from monitoring transects (over a 3 year period) on three of the Cedar Keys, Florida (Lat. 29°08′). The rate of mangrove expansion varied among islands, and the mechanism of expansion ranged from propagule-trapping by saltmarshes along the edges of mangrove clumps to widespread dispersal and growth of existing or newly imported propagules. A freeze occurred during the study, which may have set back mangrove expansion by defoliating mangrove trees and resetting mangrove reproduction. Mangrove expansion was projected to take 20–30 years for complete seedling cover. Given the possibility of global climate change and its potential influence on the distribution of coastal vegetation, the timeframes and implications to coastal wetland ecosystems involved in this regular interplay will provide valuable baseline information for future studies.

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Author notes

  1. Philip W. Stevens

    Present address: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Charlotte Harbor Field Laboratory, 1481 Market Circle, Unit 1, Port Charlotte, FL, 33953, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, P.O. Box 116450, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    Philip W. Stevens, Sandra L. Fox & Clay L. Montague

  2. St. Johns River Water Management District, 4049 Reid Street, Palatka, Florida, 32177, USA

    Sandra L. Fox

Authors
  1. Philip W. Stevens
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  2. Sandra L. Fox
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  3. Clay L. Montague
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Correspondence to Philip W. Stevens.

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Stevens, P.W., Fox, S.L. & Montague, C.L. The interplay between mangroves and saltmarshes at the transition between temperate and subtropical climate in Florida. Wetlands Ecol Manage 14, 435–444 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-006-0006-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-006-0006-3

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