Drivers of mangrove distribution at the high-energy, wave-dominated, southern African range limit
Drivers of mangrove distribution at the high-energy, wave-dominated, southern African range limit
Mangrove distribution patterns at regional scales are influenced by additional factors besides temperature and rainfall regimes. This study identified abiotic drivers of mangrove area cover along the high-energy, wave-dominated coastline of South Africa. This is one of the southernmost locations globally for mangroves. A structural equation model (SEM) was used to delineate relationships between multiple variables that represented climatic and geomorphological drivers of current mangrove distribution patterns. Floodplain area, inlet stability, and the flow regime of the estuary were identified as significant predictors of mangrove area. The results of this study confirm that for this region mangrove distribution is controlled by coastal topographical features and estuarine dynamics rather than temperature minima. This is similar to other high-energy, wave-dominated coasts of Australia, Brazil, and New Zealand. Future research should, therefore, incorporate regional-scale factors that restrict current distributions as they could inform on potential limitations to expansion, particularly for southern hemisphere range limits.
Biogeographic patterns, Climatic drivers, Estuaries, Geomorphological drivers, Southern Africa, Structural equation modelling
Raw, Jacqueline L.
8c02372c-72d5-43d0-b693-5aba51f538bd
Godbold, Jasmin A.
df6da569-e7ea-43ca-8a95-a563829fb88a
van Niekerk, Lara
2b6e4cfe-b43e-4710-9768-6e204aa7d2d8
Adams, Janine B.
9ac8ebaa-68fa-4f52-b126-7f9d01be2c7b
15 October 2019
Raw, Jacqueline L.
8c02372c-72d5-43d0-b693-5aba51f538bd
Godbold, Jasmin A.
df6da569-e7ea-43ca-8a95-a563829fb88a
van Niekerk, Lara
2b6e4cfe-b43e-4710-9768-6e204aa7d2d8
Adams, Janine B.
9ac8ebaa-68fa-4f52-b126-7f9d01be2c7b
Raw, Jacqueline L., Godbold, Jasmin A., van Niekerk, Lara and Adams, Janine B.
(2019)
Drivers of mangrove distribution at the high-energy, wave-dominated, southern African range limit.
Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 226, [106296].
(doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2019.106296).
Abstract
Mangrove distribution patterns at regional scales are influenced by additional factors besides temperature and rainfall regimes. This study identified abiotic drivers of mangrove area cover along the high-energy, wave-dominated coastline of South Africa. This is one of the southernmost locations globally for mangroves. A structural equation model (SEM) was used to delineate relationships between multiple variables that represented climatic and geomorphological drivers of current mangrove distribution patterns. Floodplain area, inlet stability, and the flow regime of the estuary were identified as significant predictors of mangrove area. The results of this study confirm that for this region mangrove distribution is controlled by coastal topographical features and estuarine dynamics rather than temperature minima. This is similar to other high-energy, wave-dominated coasts of Australia, Brazil, and New Zealand. Future research should, therefore, incorporate regional-scale factors that restrict current distributions as they could inform on potential limitations to expansion, particularly for southern hemisphere range limits.
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Accepted/In Press date: 18 July 2019
e-pub ahead of print date: 19 July 2019
Published date: 15 October 2019
Keywords:
Biogeographic patterns, Climatic drivers, Estuaries, Geomorphological drivers, Southern Africa, Structural equation modelling
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 433858
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/433858
ISSN: 0272-7714
PURE UUID: 058c380b-67a6-4a45-b412-855b49d985e0
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Date deposited: 04 Sep 2019 16:30
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 05:24
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Author:
Jacqueline L. Raw
Author:
Lara van Niekerk
Author:
Janine B. Adams
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