Re-establishment of epibiotic communities in reforested mangroves of Gazi Bay, Kenya
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Published source details
Crona B.I., Holmgren S. & Rönnbäck P. (2006) Re-establishment of epibiotic communities in reforested mangroves of Gazi Bay, Kenya. Wetlands Ecology and Management, 14, 527-538.
Published source details Crona B.I., Holmgren S. & Rönnbäck P. (2006) Re-establishment of epibiotic communities in reforested mangroves of Gazi Bay, Kenya. Wetlands Ecology and Management, 14, 527-538.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Directly plant trees/shrubs: brackish/saline wetlands Action Link |
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Directly plant trees/shrubs: brackish/saline wetlands
A site comparison study in 2002 of three mangrove forests in southeast Kenya (Crona et al. 2006) reported that planting non-native mangrove apple Sonneratia alba into degraded forest generally restored habitat structure, algal richness and algal biomass to near natural levels, but replanting clear-cut forest did not. Unless specified, statistical significance was not assessed. After eight years, sites where mangrove apple had been planted into degraded forest did not clearly differ from natural forests in terms of canopy cover (planted: 50–75%; natural: 50–75%), the basal area of aerial roots (planted: 0.4–0.6 m2 roots/m2 forest; natural: 0.3–0.6 m2 roots/m2 forest) and algal richness (planted: 23 taxa/5 m2; natural: 18 taxa/5 m2), and did not significantly differ in terms of algal biomass (planted; 962–4,519 g/m2; natural: 681–2,963 g/m2). In contrast, sites where mangrove apple had been planted after clear-cutting had 100% canopy cover, only 0.2 m2 of aerial roots/m2 forest, only 10 algal species and only 5–167 g/m2 of algal biomass. Both types of planted mangroves contained more aerial roots (degraded: 322–424/m2; clear-cut: 380–400/m2) than natural mangroves (174–280/m2). For data on the biomass of individual algal species, see original paper. Methods: In early 2002, three mangrove forests were surveyed: two planted with mangrove apple trees in 1994 (amongst remnant forest, or in a site clear-cut in the 1970s) and one natural (mature). Twenty 0.25-m2 quadrats were surveyed in each mangrove. Aerial roots were counted and measured. Algae were identified, collected, dried and weighed.
(Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)
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