17 - Mangrove Ecosystems of the Pacific Coast of Mexico: Distribution, Structure, Litterfall, and Detritus Dynamics

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses mangrove systems—also known as tidal forest or mangrove swamps—that are among the most productive ecosystems under optimal conditions. Their productivity is higher than that of tropical rain forests and similar to that of sugarcane fields, which are considered one of the most productive crops. Mangrove trees are facultative halophytes, found between sub- and supratidal areas on tropical and subtropical coast. They grow in salinities ranging from fresh to hypersaline water but reach their maximal growth in brackish water. Delta plains and estuarine conditions, which are preferred by mangroves, are less common. The Pacific coast is classified as a collision coast with a narrow or nonexistent continental shelf. The Gulf of Mexico corresponds to a marginal sea coast with a typical low-relief extensive coastal plain and shelf. Mangrove forests are among the most productive ecosystems in the world and, together with marshes, are one of the principal sources of detritus for tropical coastal lagoons. It is well known that only a small part of the mangrove production is directly consumed by organisms, and energy and materials flow mostly through detritus food webs.