Mangrove Phenologies and the Factors Influencing Them in the Australasian Region

Abstract

Floral and leafing phenologies of mangrove plants are affected by the same factors which influence species composition and distribution, and these may be linked in some instances. For example, high latitude limitations on species distribution might be the result of inadequate recruitment and supply of propagules. In any case, influencing factors act at different scales, and there is considerable variation between species. However, the issue is complicated further with phenologies since there is also considerable variation within species. This variation depends on other temporal and spatial variables. The most notable temporal influence on phenologies is the seasonal effect on annual periodicity. This variability is largely controlled by climate, namely water availability and temperature, and the net affect for each species is different seasonal patterns in different locations. Spatial influences are most notably those related to latitude, and temperature in particular. In this treatment, the factors influencing phenologies of mangroves were re-assessed to establish our current understanding and remaining gaps in our knowledge, especially for the Australasian region.