Difference in the production and elemental composition of litter in Kandelia obovata mangrove forests due to site elevation

Abstract

Site elevation is a crucial driver for mangrove restoration, and litter production restoration is a significantly important target of mangrove restoration, but little attention has been paid to impact of site elevation on the production and elemental composition of litter in the restored mangrove forests. This study compared the production and elemental composition of mangrove litter at the three intertidal elevations, to explore impacts of site elevation on the production and elemental composition of mangrove litter. Compared with the upper elevation site, significantly lower annual litter production was found at the lower elevation site. Leaf litter was the main component of litter, up to 60.49% of total litter production at the upper elevation site, while reproductive materials (flower and fruit) were the key part of litter and accounted for 50.80% (the lower elevation site) and 57.02% (the middle elevation site) of total litter production. As site elevation decreased, element stocks within total litter decreased by approximately 65.39% (organic carbon), 65.17% (total nitrogen) and 63.66% (total phosphorus), respectively, which was attributed more to element stocks within leaf litter instead of element stocks within the other litter. Results showed that site elevation decreases resulted in decreased litter production, altered composition percentages of litter production, and reduced element stocks within total litter. In the future mangrove restoration projects, it is advisable to prioritize upper elevation (above local mean level) for promoting litter production.