School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations
Biology and Ecology of the Halophyte Laguncularia racemosa (L.) Gaertn. f.: A Review
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
5-19-2021
Abstract
Mangrove ecosystems are tropical and subtropical environments that are characterized by the interaction been the land and the sea. Laguncularia racemosa (white mangrove) is a monotypic pantropical and subtropical halophyte distributed in West Africa and the New World. In the New World, the zonation pattern in the mangal from the intertidal seaward fringe to higher elevation landward is Rhizophora mangle > L. racemosa > Avicennia germinans > Conocarpus erectus. Laguncularia racemosa is a halophyte that tolerates salinities up to 90 ppt. However, the optimal salinity range for mature stands of this species is from 15 to 20 ppt with water levels at or near the surface. Laguncularia racemosa secretes salt through glands on the leaf surface. Salt secretion allows roots to maintain low ion concentrations of salt in the xylem but allows other essential ions to move to the shoot system. Climate change has allowed L. racemosa to extend its range northward along the Atlantic coast of the United States.
Recommended Citation
Lonard, Robert I., Frank W. Judd, Hudson R. DeYoe, and Richard Stalter. "Biology and ecology of the halophyte Laguncularia racemosa (L.) Gaertn. f.: A review." Handbook of Halophytes: From Molecules to Ecosystems towards Biosaline Agriculture (2020): 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57635-6_71
Publication Title
Handbook of Halophytes
DOI
10.1007/978-3-030-57635-6_71
Comments
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