Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Landscape Patterns Of Community Structure, Biomass And Net Primary Productivity Of Mangrove Forests In The Florida Coastal Everglades As A Function Of Resource, Regulators, Hydroperiod, And Hurricane Distrubance, Edward Castaneda

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Spatial and temporal patterns of mangrove vegetation in the Florida Coastal Everglades (FCE) reflect a major interplay of resources, regulators and hydroperiod gradients. I investigated landscape patterns of community structure, biomass and NPP of mangroves along two FCE estuaries: Shark River and Taylor River. I also evaluated whether pulsing events such as Hurricane Wilma are significant to soil nutrient inventories and vertical accretion of mangroves in FCE. There was a higher forest structural complexity of mangroves in Shark River relative to Taylor River. The biomass root:shoot ratio was 17 times higher in Taylor River relative to Shark River, indicating that …