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Biodiversity

Lee, S. Y.; Jones, E. B. G.; Diele, K.; Castellanos-Galindo, G. A.; Nordhaus, I.

Authors

S. Y. Lee

E. B. G. Jones

G. A. Castellanos-Galindo

I. Nordhaus



Contributors

Victor H Rivera-Monroy
Editor

S Y Lee
Editor

Erik Kristensen
Editor

Robert R Twilley
Editor

Abstract

With only about 80 species of true mangrove trees worldwide, mangrove ecosystems comprise a relatively low number of habitat-forming tree species, but a high diversity of decomposer, detritivorous and consumer species. Although the overall level of diversity in mangrove ecosystems is low relatively to those of other key tropical habitats such as coral reefs and tropical rain forests, these species collectively support many important ecosystem services. Here, we report the broad variety of key functional and structural biodiversity components of mangrove ecosystems, with particular emphases on the decomposer, the macrobenthic invertebrate and finfish assemblages and their roles in key ecological processes. Attempt is also made to compare the biodiversity of selected groups associated with the two main biogeographic regions of habitat-forming mangroves: the species-rich Indo-West-Pacific (IWP) and the species-poor Atlantic-East-Pacific (AEP). Analysis of global data suggests that the IWP mangrove wetlands support significantly higher species richness of finfish than AEP systems, despite similar patterns of variation with latitude. While data on the other biodiversity components to date are not sufficient for an overall comparison between the two biogeographic regions, a similar difference, if existing, may have implications for the function and, therefore, ecosystem services. Mangrove biodiversity is increasingly threatened by the continual loss of mangrove forests and sustained degradation due to anthropogenic threats such as seawall construction, pollution and sea level rise. Studies on global mangrove ecosystems may contribute significantly to the understanding of the relationship between diversity and ecosystem function.

Citation

Lee, S. Y., Jones, E. B. G., Diele, K., Castellanos-Galindo, G. A., & Nordhaus, I. (2017). Biodiversity. In V. H. Rivera-Monroy, S. Y. Lee, E. Kristensen, & R. R. Twilley (Eds.), Mangrove Ecosystems: A Global Biogeographic Perspective (55-86). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62206-4_3

Acceptance Date Nov 1, 2016
Online Publication Date Nov 4, 2017
Publication Date Nov 4, 2017
Deposit Date Jul 18, 2017
Publisher Springer
Pages 55-86
Book Title Mangrove Ecosystems: A Global Biogeographic Perspective
Chapter Number 3
ISBN 9783319622040; 9783319622064
DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62206-4_3
Keywords Biogeographic regions, Ecosystem services, Ecosystem function, Decomposers, Detritivores, Macrobenthic invertebrates,Mangrove forests
Public URL http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/962858