Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [241]-259).

published_or_final_version / Botany / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 176-201).

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-107).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisor: Dr. Jon Anthony Stallins, Florida State University, College of Social Sciences, Dept. of Geography. Title and description from dissertation home page (June 15, 2005). Document formatted into pages; contains xiii, 169 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 172-196).

The ecology of mangrove forests on Potential Acid Sulphate soils at Bintuni Bay (132° 55' - 134° 02' E, and 2° 02' - 2° 97' S), Irian Jaya, Indonesia was studied. The annual rainfall is 3000mm and there is mixed semi-diurnal tide of 1-5.6m amplitude. The water has a varying salinity of 0-27%. Forest structure was studied in plots of 10m x 10m along three transects across Sikoroti Island and in three 50m x 50m plots in mixed Rhizophora - Bruguiera forest. All trees > 10cm trunk diameter were enumerated, measured and identified. Of the nine tree species, Rhizophora apiculata was the most dominant, followed by Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Ceriops decandra. There was good regeneration seven years after clear-felling in plots on Amutu Besar and Amutu Kecil Islands. Small litterfall production, measured using ten 1m x 1m litter traps in each of the three 50m x 50m plots, was 11.09 t ha-1 y-1, and greatest during the wet season (December, 1.29 t ha-1 ) and least during the dry season (July, 0.61 t ha-1). The annual litterfall mineral element accession was (kg ha-1 y-1): N 240.4, P 6.1, K 43.2, Na 136.2, Ca 204.4 and Mg 48.7. Leaf decomposition of five species was studied in litterbags on the forest floor under trees of the same species. Sonneratia alba decomposed quickly with a half-life of 24 days, and Bruguiera parviflora was the slowest with a halflife of 124 days. Decomposition rates of all species followed a single exponential decay model. Leaf herbivory of young stands of Rhizophora apiculata and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza was significantly different among sites, species, plant height and leaf-age. Seed predation on six species was studied in three different sites. Twenty propagules of each species were secured by string in each of six 10m x 10m sub-plots within each of five 10m x 60m plots. On average 62.1% of the seeds were dead after 36 d. Predation was higher in the lower intertidal zone, and Avicennia alba and Bruguiera parviflora were the most predated. The results suggested that the Bintuni Bay mangroves can be sustainably managed but the best silvicultural system needs to be determined.

Typescript. / Thesis--University of Hawaii, 1963. / Bibliography: leaves 121-126. / xi, 219 leaves mount. col. ill., mount. maps, mount, diagrs., tables (part fold.)

Mangrove forests are subjected to many environmental factors which influence species distribution, zonation patterns as well as succession. Important driving factors in these forests are salinity, water level fluctuations and available light. This study investigated the response of red mangrove (Rhizophora mucronata Lam.) seedlings to these factors in controlled laboratory experiments. Increase in salinity and prolonged inundation within estuaries are predicted impacts resulting from sea level rise due to climate change. The study investigated the effect of five salinity treatments (0, 8, 18, 35 and 45 ppt) with a semi-diurnal tidal cycle on seedling growth. In a separate experiment the effect of different inundation treatments: no inundation, 3, 6, 9 hour tidal cycles and continuous inundation (24 h) were investigated. Both morphological and physiological responses of R. mucronata seedlings were measured. There was a decrease in growth (plant height, biomass and leaf production) with increasing salinity. Seedlings in the seawater, hypersaline and no inundation treatments showed symptoms of stress, having increased leaf necrosis ("burn marks"). The highest growth occurred in the low salinity (8 ppt) treatment, but the highest photosynthetic performance and stomatal conductance occurred in the freshwater treatment (0 ppt). The typical response of stem elongation with increasing inundation was observed in the 24 hr inundation treatment. In the light and salinity combination study there were ten different treatments of five different light treatments (unshaded, 20 percent, 50 percent, 80 percent and 90 percent shade) combined with two salinity concentrations (18 and 35 ppt). In this study the seedling growth: plant height, biomass, leaf surface area and leaf production were higher in the moderate salinity (18 ppt) treatments compared to the seawater (35 ppt) treatments. Biomass in the 35 ppt experiment decreased with increasing shade as well as in the unshaded treatments. Photosynthetic performance and stomatal conductance were lower for the unshaded treatment in both 18 and 35 ppt salinity compared to all other treatments with the same salinity. This suggests that R. mucronata more shade than sun tolerant, but overall it can be concluded that the species has a broad tolerance range. The results may be relevant in mangrove rehabilitation and predicting responses to climate change. This is important as mangrove ecosystems may adapt to changing sea levels and in order to restore areas it will be necessary to choose the mangrove species which will grow best. The results may also help to increase the protection of existing mangrove habitats.

published_or_final_version / Zoology / Master / Master of Philosophy