Development process of tidal-flat type mangrove habitats and their zonation in the Pacific Ocean
✍ Scribed by K. Fujimoto; T. Miyagi
- Publisher
- Springer Netherlands
- Year
- 1993
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 887 KB
- Volume
- 106
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1385-0237
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✦ Synopsis
Using the sites of Pagbilao, the Philippines and Pohnpei Island, the Federated States of Micronesia, zonation and development process of mangrove habitats on tidal flats situated in the geomorphic environment excluding estuary, delta, and lagoon or backmarsh behind barrier or beach ridge were discussed from the viewpoint of geomorphology.
Zonations of the mangrove forests were observed from seaward to landward in both areas. Most of the zones correspond with the variations of the ground level or deposit. Mangrove peat which has a thickness of about 2 meters was deposited in the main part of the mangrove habitats in both areas. On the other hand, some large Sonneratia alba were observed in the Rhizophora apicuIata habitat on Pohnpei Island. The authors presumed that some of the large S. alba have survived by regeneration from fallen stems since the mangrove forest developed on the present site.
The maximum depth of the mangrove peat layer reaches 1.7 meter below the present sea level in Pagbilao and over 2.5 meters at Pohnpei Island. The bottom of the mangrove peat was dated at about 2,000 y.B.P, in both areas by the radiocarbon method. The mangrove peat depositional areas have not been moved during the last 2,000 years. Therefore, the mangrove forests seem to have grown in the present sites since 2,000 y.B.P, and accumulated peat in connection with the subsequent sea-level rise.
Nomenclature: Scientific names for mangroves follow Tomlinson (1986).