Modelling secondary succession of neotropical mangroves: Causes and consequences of growth reduction in pioneer species

Authored by Volker Grimm, Uta Berger, Hanno Hildenbrandt, M Adams

Date Published: 2006

DOI: 10.1016/j.ppees.2005.08.001

Sponsors: German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)

Platforms: No platforms listed

Model Documentation: Other Narrative

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

Mangrove forest structure is the result of interactions between species responses to abiotic stress factors, disturbance, dispersal and competition. The combination of abiotic conditions and disturbance history may determine the growth potential of the species, whereas dispersal, competition and external or biogenic changes in abiotic conditions may tune their succession. Even in forests with only a few species.. this set of factors can create multiple species compositions. For example, pure stands of the mancyrove Laguncularia are common in newly colonized areas, but they may evolve into mixed stands dominated by Rhizophora or Avicennia. We demonstrate such an evolution with a field study of mangroves established in abandoned rice fields. We use an individual-based simulation model to understand how species-dependent dispersal, growth rate and shade tolerance lead to the observed patterns in horizontal and vertical forest structure. We find that the initially dominating species will be gradually replaced in the canopy. This alteration cannot be explained exclusively by shade tolerance of the succeeding species. Rather, it is essential to assume that the height growth rate of the pioneer species slows down relative to those of the later species. A decrease in nutrient availability may be responsible for these relative changes in the growth rates of different species. (c) 2005 Rubel Foundation, ETH Zurich. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Tags

Competition Dynamics biomass patterns Forest Regeneration Seedlings Tree mortality