Abstract

AGRAZ HERNANDEZ, Claudia Maricusa et al. Phenological variation of Rhizophora mangle and ground water chemistry associated to changes of the precipitation. Hidrobiológica [online]. 2015, vol.25, n.1, pp.49-61. ISSN 0188-8897.

Mangrove forests are vulnerable to long term changes of temperature and precipitation. In this study, we want to know if the precipitation regime significantly varies among years and seasons during a five-yr period (2006-2010) at the North of Laguna de Términos, Campeche, Mexico. In addition, we want to know how the salinity and the redox potential of the ground water of a monospecific mangrove forest of Rhizophora mangle are modified according to this variation. Finally, we describe the total litterfall, and the flowers and hypocotiles production of the studied mangrove and analyze these responses as a function of the environment variables. A repeated measures ANOVA showed that precipitation significantly varied among years and seasons (F=15.83, p<0.003; F=29.8, p<0.0001). The salinity and the redox potential were also significant effects of the same temporal variation (F=1003.25, p<0.0001; F=213.32, p<0.0001), as well as the total litterfall and the hypocotile production (F=39.35, p<0.001; F=8.74, p<0.025). Precipitation was directly proportional to the hypocotile production (r=0.43, p<0.005) and inversely proportional to the salinity ground water (r= - 0.36, p<0.02). The precipitation and the salinity play significant roles on the variation of the litterfall and the hypocotile production of the studied mangrove (R²= 0.85; p<0.05 and R²= 0.70; p<0.05). Our study suggests a resilient ability of R. mangle, which allows it to tolerate seasonal and annual changes of the precipitation.

Keywords : Litterfall; mangroves; redox potential; salinity; standardized precipitation index.

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