Description
Mangroves are an intertidal vegetation distributed along the world’s tropical and subtropical coastlines. Living on the edge between land and sea, the distribution of mangrove forests is sensitive to sea-level rise, and landward expansion of mangroves into previously non-flooded salt flats has been observed at different locations globally. Latitudinally, the distribution of mangroves has been linked primarily to air temperature and rainfall thresholds. However, key questions remain on the factors that control mangrove distributions and how they will be affected by climate change. The importance of climatic controls on the latitudinal limits of mangroves varies strongly between regions, and factors other than climate are important to reliably forecast how climate change alters the distribution of mangroves. For example, studies along the Atlantic coast of North America showed poleward mangrove expansion at the expense of cold-tolerant salt marsh species, as a threshold response to the decreased frequency of extreme cold events. Yet, no such expansion is observed along poleward range limits at the east coast of South Africa or the west coast of North America, despite the persistence of mangroves that were planted beyond the natural range limits decades ago. An important explanation for these range-limit-specific differences relates to the dispersal ecology of mangroves.Dispersal determines whether suitable habitat can be colonized from existing populations. In mangroves, dispersal is predominantly determined by tidal, coastal, and open-ocean currents, and requires information also on life history traits, such as phenology and propagule characteristics. As warming winter temperatures are expected to increasingly drive range expansion of mangroves into temperate coastal ecosystems – modifying wetland ecosystem structure and function – there is a need for adequate knowledge on the factors and processes that determine dispersal patterns. However, densely rooted forests and large spatial scales render direct observations of dispersal in mangroves labor-intensive and difficult. Challenges of studying mangrove dispersal are discussed, considering data and insights obtained from mark-recapture, flume racetrack, genetic, and high-resolution particle-transport simulation studies. We include recent efforts to integrate climatic controls and dispersal, whilst focusing on South Africa and North America, to better understand climate-mediated range shifts. Finally, a conceptual dispersal framework is used to highlight current limitations and knowledge gaps and potential avenues for future research.
| Periode | 25 nov. 2024 → 29 nov. 2024 |
|---|---|
| Evenementstitel | Coastal Ecology Workshop |
| Evenementstype | Conference |
| Locatie | Antwerp, BelgiumToon op kaart |
| Mate van erkenning | International |