Study

Project facilitates the natural reseeding of mangrove forests (Florida)

  • Published source details Lewis R.R. (2005) Project facilitates the natural reseeding of mangrove forests (Florida). Ecological Restoration, 23, 276-277.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Restore/create brackish/saline marshes or swamps (multiple actions)

Action Link
Marsh and Swamp Conservation
  1. Restore/create brackish/saline marshes or swamps (multiple actions)

    A study in 1999–2004 of a coastal site in Florida, USA (Lewis 2005) reported that following multiple interventions, mangrove trees spontaneously colonized. Mangrove vegetation covered 4% of the site immediately after intervention, then 95% after five years. Mangrove seedlings were observed growing three months after intervention (174 seedlings/m2) and five years after intervention (40 seedlings/m2). After five years, white mangroves Laguncularia racemosa were 1.6 m tall on average and black mangroves Avicennia germinans were 0.9 m tall on average. Herbaceous Marsh vegetation coverage declined from 32% of one year after intervention to 5% after five years. Methods: In spring/summer 1999, a degraded coastal site was subjected to multiple interventions intended to expand mangrove forest habitat: clearing invasive shrubs/trees with chainsaws and herbicide, reprofiling to intertidal elevations (similar to nearby mangroves), excavating tidal creeks, and planting smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora on bare ground (to trap mangrove propagules). Vegetation was surveyed immediately after intervention was complete (September 1999) and five years later (September 2004). This summary takes some methodological details from Mauseth et al. (2001).

    Additional Reference: Mauseth G.S., Urquhart-Donnelly J.S. & Lewis R.R. (2001) Compensatory restoration of mangrove habitat following the Tampa Bay oil spill. International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings 2001, 761–767.

    (Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)

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