Abstract
Mangrove ecosystems have important ecological and economic functions, including: being breeding grounds and nurseries for birds, fish, crustaceans, shellfish, reptiles, and mammals; being accumulation sites for carbon and nutrients; offering protection against coastal erosion; and offering protection against storm surge and wind damage during hurricanes and tidal waves (Mitsch & Gosselink 2015, Alongi 2002). I established twenty-seven plots in five locations across a hurricane history continuum along the southwest coast of Florida, these five locations became five different “regions” that were separated due to differences in hurricane histories. In each location, except Region 1, three plots had restricted tidal flow and three plots did not. In each plot: seedling densities, sapling densities, tree densities, hurricane damage, DBH of trees, and canopy openness were measured. One and two-way ANOVAs, cluster analysis, and multi-dimensional scaling analysis were used to analyze these data. The data analysis did not indicate a clear and consistent pattern across regions or tidally restricted and unrestricted plots. Significant differences among plots varied, but there are indications that seedling dynamics play an important role in these differences. Multivariate analysis of forest status parameters did show a separation between region 5 (where the most hurricanes have hit) and region three (where the least hurricanes have hit). Further, the multivariate analysis of seedling and saplings showed some pattern of grouping with tidal restriction. To better understand this data it would be beneficial to look at a larger disturbance history, to create a continuum of tidal restriction, and to use mangrove taxa as stress and recovery indicators.
