Factors influencing the early growth and dispersal potential of mangroves propagules

Background: [Extract from related publication] Mangrove dispersal, characterised by propagule movement across complex coastal habitats, is essential for maintaining genetic diversity and ecological resilience. A comprehensive understanding of these processes requires information on the influence of mangrove propagule traits on dispersal potential. However, relatively few studies have investigated the behaviour of propagules in the water column, particularly their responses to different salinities and the duration of their buoyancy.

Objective: The goal of this study is to enhance the understanding of mangrove dispersal potential by using an experimental approach to assess buoyancy and morphological attributes of 13 mangrove species in the central Great Barrier Reef (GBR) region of Queensland, Australia.

Results: [Extract from related publication] Over 90 days, we measured the buoyancy of mangrove propagules and recorded changes in root and stem growth under different salinity conditions, tracking the progression of these traits over time. We found evidence for interspecies variation in buoyancy and diverse responses to salinity treatments, with propagule positioning in the water column changing over time. Most of the species showed potential for long-distance dispersal as they stayed afloat for part or most of the experiment. Additionally, we developed species-specific parameters and implemented them in biophysical models to assess mangroves dispersal trajectories. Our findings highlight the importance of integrating mangrove propagule traits in dispersal modelling given the variability in buoyancy behaviours observed among different species and their influence on dispersal and connectivity.
Data sources acknowledgment: The seeds were collected in the field and the experiments were performed at JCU
This dataset consists of:

1 Excel file containing the output of seeds experiments
3 R files providing statistical analyses for the buoyancy (binomial and beta)
3 R files to calculate windage and drift factor for each species

The full methodology is available in the publication shown in the Related Publications link below.