Diet of Littoraria scabra, while vertically migrating on mangrove trees: Gut content, fatty acid, and stable isotope analyses

The snail, Littoraria scabra, is a dominant grazer on tropical mangrove trees, and may play an important role in the food web dynamics of these ecosystems. Its daily vertical migration to avoid tidal submersion results in exposure to varying food types and abundances. A comprehensive diet analysis – gut contents, fatty acid profiles, and stable isotopes (δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C) – was conducted on snails migrating along mangrove trees and snails maintained in non-tidal mesocosms at Nananu-i-ra, Fiji Islands. In addition, fatty acid profiles and stable isotope signatures were obtained from surface scrapings of mangrove roots, trunks, branches, and leaves. Results from this multi-technique study indicate that L. scabra is mainly a generalist herbivore, which easily shifts diets depending on food availability, and which also has the ability to ingest and assimilate zooplankton. Ingestion of greater quantities of diverse foods (i.e., microalgae, foliose/corticated macrophytes, filamentous algae, mangrove tissues, zooplankton) takes place in the bottom areas of mangrove trees (roots and trunks) during low tides, while top areas (branches and leaves) provide limited food resources for snails feeding during high tides. However, snails preferentially assimilate microalgae and bacteria, regardless of their feeding habitat (different areas within mangrove trees and non-tidal mesocosms). The daily vertical movements of this snail result in variable feeding times, ingestion of different food types and amounts, and different assimilations. These findings also suggest that organic matter derived from mangrove tissues may not be readily transferred to higher trophic levels through this grazing pathway.     

Random walk, zonation and the food searching strategy of Terebralia palustris (Mollusca, Potamididae) in Kenya

Terebralia palustris is a common mud-whelk present at a particularly high density in all Indo-West Pacific mangroves. Young snails feed on nothing but mud while larger specimens are able to feed on fallen leaves too. In Kenya (Mida Creek) under the canopy, competition for mangrove leaves can be very high due to the high density of Sesarmidae crabs. On open exposed muddy platforms, no Sesarmidae occur but the leaf density is very low because the leaves are only randomly present as they are deposited and removed twice a day by the tide. However, the snail density is always very high, raising the question as to whether the snails use a special searching strategy to optimize their resource finding rather than a purely random movement. By analyzing the snails' movements on a uniform area at different levels and comparing them with simulated random paths, we could show that the snails' movements are not purely random. The distribution of different size classes of T. palustris in Mida Creek was known to be quite odd: the same simulation approach suggests that the zonation asymmetry could reasonably be due to the stochastic recruitment of juveniles in space and time and maintained by a substantial long-lasting spatial inertia.     

Size-dependent distribution and feeding habits of Terebralia palustris in mangrove habitats of Gazi Bay, Kenya

The gastropod Terebralia palustris often dominates the surface of muddy to sandy substrates of intertidal mudflats and mangrove forests, where they clearly destabilize the sediment. In the present study, it was investigated whether and to what extent the behaviour of juvenile and adult snails differs among habitats (mudflat vs. mangrove stand) in a Sonneratia alba mangal at Gazi Bay, Kenya. For this purpose we: (1) examined their distribution along three land–sea transects; and (2) applied stable isotope analysis to determine the feeding patterns of different-sized snails from the mangrove and mudflat habitats. Additionally, we investigated if these gastropods exert an impact on microphytobenthic (diatom) biomass, and whether this is size-dependent. The latter objective was met by either enclosing or excluding different-sized snails from experimental cages on the intertidal mudflat and the subsequent assessment of a change in pigment concentration of the sediment surface. In agreement with several previous studies conducted in other mangroves and geographical locations, a spatial segregation was demonstrated between juveniles (more common on the mudflat) and adults (more common in the mangrove forest). On the intertidal mudflat juveniles avoided sediment patches characterized by highly saline water in intertidal pools and a high mud content, while adults tended to dwell on substrates covered by a high amount of leaf litter. Stable carbon isotope analysis of the foot tissue of snails sampled from the S. alba stand and the mudflat indicated a transition in food source when a shell length of 51 mm is reached. Considering the δ¹³C value of juveniles, it seems they might be selecting for microphytobenthos, which might explain their preference for the mudflat. The diet of size classes found in both habitats did not differ significantly, although juveniles inhabiting the mangrove forest were slightly more depleted in ¹³C compared to those residing on the mudflat. Assuming juveniles feed on benthic microalgae and considering the lower microalgal biomass inside the mangrove forest, this may be a consequence of a higher contribution of other, more ¹³C depleted organic carbon sources, like phytoplankton, to their diet. Experimental results indicate a negative, but insignificant, impact on benthic diatom biomass by juveniles (due to grazing) and adults (due to physical disturbance). This finding seems to be in agreement with the results of the stable carbon isotope analysis, strongly suggesting the selective feeding of juvenile T. palustris on benthic diatoms.     

Seasonal abundance, distribution and recruitment of mud crabs (Scylla spp.) in replanted mangroves

The abundance and distribution of mud crabs were studied in a replanted mangrove forest in Buswang, Aklan, Philippines. Two fishing gears, lift nets and bamboo traps, were used to monitor relative abundance of Scylla spp. populations from March 2002 to December 2003 inside the mangrove forest. A third gear, a stakenet set across a creek, was used to monitor crabs migrating out of the mangroves during the ebb tide. Scylla olivacea formed 99.3% and 70.3% of the catch in the mangrove and the stakenet, respectively. The percentage of Scylla tranquebarica increased from <1% in the mangrove catches to 29% in the stakenet. Scylla serrata was present at very low levels in both catches. The lack of modal progression in the size–frequency plots and the year-round catch rate of gravid females suggested that recruitment was constant throughout the year. Even though relative abundance decreased over the study period indicating that the stock is being over-exploited, mud crab production is more than equivalent to that of most natural mangroves.     

A New model to forecast fishing ground of Scomber japonicus in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea

The pelagic species is closely related to the marine environmental factors, and establishment of forecasting model of fishing ground with high accuracy is an important content for pelagic fishery. The chub mackerel(Scomber japonicus) in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea is an important fishing target for Chinese lighting purse seine fishery. Based on the fishery data from China's mainland large-type lighting purse seine fishery for chub mackerel during the period of 2003 to 2010 and the environmental data including sea surface temperature(SST), gradient of the sea surface temperature(GSST), sea surface height(SSH) and geostrophic velocity(GV), we attempt to establish one new forecasting model of fishing ground based on boosted regression trees. In this study, the fishing areas with fishing effort is considered as one fishing ground, and the areas with no fishing ground are randomly selected from a background field, in which the fishing areas have no records in the logbooks. The performance of the forecasting model of fishing ground is evaluated with the testing data from the actual fishing data in 2011. The results show that the forecasting model of fishing ground has a high prediction performance, and the area under receiver operating curve(AUC) attains 0.897. The predicted fishing grounds are coincided with the actual fishing locations in 2011, and the movement route is also the same as the shift of fishing vessels, which indicates that this forecasting model based on the boosted regression trees can be used to effectively forecast the fishing ground of chub mackerel in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea.     

五种红树植物原位根系小分子多酚组成及含量分析

红树植物的化感作用和生态功能与其多酚类物质的组成和含量密切相关,其植物根系中含有的小分子多酚对红树植物对根际生物群落的调控具有重要的意义,但对其根系中具体含有的多酚类最小单体尚缺少科学实验证据。对湛江红树林国家级自然保护区内五种重要建群红树植物进行原位根系采样,采用液相高效色谱法(HPLC)对5种主要的小分子多酚单体进行定性和定量分析。主要结果为:五种红树根系内均检测出5种小分子多酚单体,浓度含量范围在0.0007—1.7424 mg/g DW。红树植物单株含量最高值分别为,儿茶素1.7424 mg/g DW,棓儿茶素1.1470 mg/g DW,表棓儿茶素0.4457 mg/g DW,没食子酸0.2374 mg/g DW,表儿茶素0.3331 mg/g DW。5种小分子多酚含量的总平均值以秋茄(Kandelia candel)和低潮带桐花树(Aegiceras corniculatum)最高,分别为0.2778 mg/g DW、0.2379 mg/g DW。木榄(Bruguiera gymnorrhiza)和无瓣海桑(Sonneratia apetala)次之,依次为0.0766 mg/g DW、0.0734 mg/g DW。红海榄(Rhizophora stylosa)和高潮带桐花树(A.corniculatum)相对最低,分别为0.0488 mg/g DW、0.0341 mg/g DW。     

Influences of Nutrient Outwelling from the Mangrove Swamp on the Distribution of Phytoplankton in the Matang Mangrove Estuary, Malaysia

Distributions of dissolved nutrients and Chl. a were investigated in the Sangga Besar River Estuary in the well-managed Matang Mangrove Forest in West Malaysia. In the estuary, spring tide concentrations of ammonium, silicate and phosphate were higher than those in the neap tide, which suggests that these nutrients are flushed from the mangrove area by the inundation and tidal mixing of the spring tide. Ammonium comprised over 50% of the dissolved inorganic nitrogen in the spring tide, while nitrite tended to dominate in the neap tide, indicating the predominance of nitrification inside the estuary in neap tides. Nutrient concentrations in the creek water were higher than those of estuarine water, indicating the nutrient outwelling from the mangrove swamp and ammonium regeneration from mangrove litter in the creek sediments. The maximum concentration of Chl. a in spring tides reached 80 g/l while it was below 20 g/l in the neap tides. These variations in the phytoplankton biomass and nutrients probably reflect the greater nutrient availability in the spring tide due to outwelling from the mangrove swamp and creek.     

Invasion of a New Zealand freshwater stream by glass‐eels of two Anguilla spp.

Recruitment of glass‐eels into freshwater is in two distinct phases characterised by behavioural differences: an initial invasion from the sea, and an upstream migration. Catches made at night in the Makara Stream, Wellington (41° 13'S, 174° 43’ E) indicate that the invasion by both New Zealand species commences in July, with that of the long‐finned eel Anguilla dieffenbachii Gray finishing by November, and that of the short‐finned eel A. ausiralis schmidlii Phillipps by December.

The length of post‐metamorphic sea‐life influences both morphology and behaviour of the glass‐eels. Differences in this period of sea‐life between early and late season glass‐eels explain the initial avoidance but later attraction of fresh water to the glass‐eels. Responses to fresh water also explain the preference for early season glass‐eels to invade on the flood tide and late season glass‐eels on the ebb tide. Neither the lunar cycle nor rainfall appear to be significant influences on invasion periodicity.     

南黄海绿潮暴发与紫菜养殖的关系

采用现场调查、社会调查和卫星遥感多种手段相结合,调查了南黄海绿潮早期零星漂浮到大面积暴发的时空变化过程,分析了紫菜养殖工艺对绿潮暴发的影响,估算了南黄海不同紫菜养殖区输入海洋的绿潮藻初始生物量,并探讨了主要海域紫菜养殖面积的增长与绿潮暴发的关系。结果表明,受紫菜养殖生产工艺的影响,数以千吨的绿潮藻在短期内被刮落集中输入至海洋,为绿潮的暴发提供了最为直接和充足的绿潮藻初始生物量,其主要来源为竹根沙、蒋家沙和东沙紫菜养殖区。2005年以来,上述3个养殖区的紫菜养殖面积持续扩大,是2007年以来南黄海绿潮持续暴发的主要原因。水温是影响绿潮形成的关键环境因素,4~6月份大量被刮落入海的绿潮藻在适宜环境条件下漂浮和快速生长,并最终形成绿潮。     

Evolution and paleobiogeography of mangroves

We reviewed the geological record of mangroves based on fossil pollen, fruits, and wood evidence of Nypa, Avicennia, Sonneratia, Rhizophoraceae, and mangrove associates to trace the origin, distribution, extinction, and range contraction of paleo‐mangroves during the Late Cretaceous–Miocene time. Our study region covers paleocoastal areas of Indo‐West Pacific (IWP) and Atlantic East Pacific (AEP) region. First, we compiled the mangrove fossil records from the Late Cretaceous till Miocene and identified the migration pattern for Nypa, Avicennia, Sonneratia, Rhizophoraceae members, and mangrove associates such as Acrostichum, Wetherellia, Pelliciera, Aegiceras, Heritiera, Excoecaria, and Barringtonia. Second, we interpreted the paleoclimate shifts which caused the dispersal/extinction of this specialized ecosystem. Lastly, we proposed the future consequences of mangrove diversity for restoration and conservation strategies. First mangroves appeared during the Late Cretaceous, 100–65 Ma, since then their evolution is closely related to sea‐level changes in geological times. The oldest geological record of Nypa palm which prefers broad ecological tolerance is a good example for pantropical distribution of mangroves. High sea‐level and humid climate offered sufficient coastal regions and climate for the development of 12 genera of mangroves in nine families and subsequent proliferation into newer areas during early to middle Eocene (~50–40 Ma). The Eocene/Oligocene boundary crisis heralds the beginning of a biogeographical split between the present‐day eastern and western provinces of mangroves with records of Sonneratia, Rhizophora, Pelliciera, Barringtonia, and Acrostichum. However, during Oligocene and Middle Miocene mangroves occupied the present geographical position with addition of Nypa, Avicennia, and Excoecaria species. Re‐evaluation of Cenozoic records suggests that the climatic conditions of Late Paleocene, end of Eocene, and middle Pliocene were the driving force that led to the evolution and expansion of mangrove flora. During the Neogene, latitudinal contraction, extinction, and migration of mangroves led to the present bipartite distribution. The Himalayan uplift and establishment of Asian summer monsoon toward Late Neogene further affected the coastal dynamics which tailored the mangrove distribution of the Indian subcontinent. Loss of ecological habitats and local extinction forming disjunct distribution of mangroves during the Quaternary have also affected its overall biogeography.     

Methods for monitoring tidal flushing in large animal burrows in tropical mangrove swamps

The typically anaerobic nature of mangrove sediments provides significant challenges to the mangrove trees and biota inhabiting them. The burrowing activities and flow of water through the numerous and complex animal burrows perforating the sediments of mangroves have a major influence on the biogeochemistry of the sediments and are important to the enhancement of nutrient and oxygen exchange. Two new methods are presented for monitoring the tidal flushing of Sesarma messa and Alpheus cf macklay burrows in a Rhizophora stylosa mangrove forest – by measuring oxygen content of burrow water and by determining the change in fluorescence of a dye tracer through tidal inundation. A case study using the first of these showed oxygen consumption rates at the burrow wall deep within the burrow were found to be between 210 and 460 μmol O₂ m⁻² h⁻¹. The influx of oxygen during a flood tide was found to be significant and indicated that approximately 40% of the burrow water is flushed during a single tidal event. However, the high consumption rate of oxygen within the burrow resulted in the oxygen concentration remaining at or below one-third of the oxygen content of the flooding tidal water. A test application of the second method, using rhodamine dye as a tracer, indicated that the exchange of water between the burrow and the flooding tide was found to be in the order of 30% of the burrow volume. These new techniques provide a means to further study the nutrient exchange within these burrow systems and verify the initial findings that several tidal inundations are necessary to completely flush the burrows.     

2017年春、夏季黄海35°N共发的绿潮、金潮和赤潮

于2017年4月至6月,沿南黄海35°N断面出现了罕见的绿潮、金潮和赤潮等有害藻华共发现象。本研究通过现场定时定速拖网等方法,对黄海35°N断面不同站位的大型漂浮藻类进行了定量观测,并对赤潮区浮游植物进行了显微镜观察。结果表明：沿35°N断面的漂浮绿藻和马尾藻生物量具有明显的时空变化特征,4月下旬漂浮绿藻和马尾藻开始零星出现,5月下旬生物量和分布范围明显增加,在6月上旬达到最大,随后在6月下旬降低。漂浮绿藻和马尾藻的分布区域存在差异,120°30''—122°30''E为两者共同分布海域,向西以漂浮绿藻为主,向东则以马尾藻为主。分别于5月下旬和6月下旬在黄海35°N断面发现了1次米氏凯伦藻（Karenia mikimotoi）赤潮和1次赤潮异弯藻（Heterosigma akashiwo）赤潮。基于现场获取的水文数据,本文对南黄海海域的环境条件及其对有害藻华分布的影响进行了讨论。沿35°N断面共发的绿潮、金潮和赤潮现象表明黄海海域正面临严峻的海洋生态问题,通过对该海域赤潮、金潮和绿潮的长期观测,可望揭示这些藻华灾害形成机制和演变规律,为针对性地开展有害藻华预报、预警和防控提供科学依据。     

The influence of environmental cues on the activity of silver eels (Anguilla dieffenbachii) in Lake Manapouri,New Zealand

Lake Manapouri in the South Island of New Zealand has a significant hydroelectric generation facility, which potentially has a negative impact on the successful emigration of longfin eels (Anguilla dieffenbachii) from the upper Waiau catchment. Consequently, a trap-and-transfer programme has been implemented to allow silver (migratory) eels access to the sea. The present study analysed data on the timing of captures and numbers of silver eels over four seasons, including the influence of possible migration cues. Silver eels were captured over an extended season of seven months (November–May), with peak numbers during December and January. Flow at the lake outflow was found to have a weak relationship with the number of eels caught, as did lake level, but moon phase and rainfall had no significant effect. These results highlight the variability in silver longfin eel behaviour both in terms of timing and response to potential environmental cues.     

基于GAM的西北太平洋日本鲭资源丰度预测模型建立

日本鲭(Scomber japonicus)是西北太平洋重要的鱼类资源之一,科学预测日本鲭的资源丰度有利于其资源的合理开发和利用。本研究依据日本渔业机构提供的1987–2012年日本鲭太平洋群体的资源量数据,结合产卵场和渔场的海洋环境数据以及气候因子,使用广义加性模型对影响日本鲭太平洋群体的海洋环境和气候因子进行分析,筛选出有显著影响的因子并建立该群体的资源量预测模型。结果表明,与该群体资源量有显著关系的影响因子有:北极涛动指数、太平洋年代际振荡指数、渔场海表面高度、渔场海表面盐度和渔场海表面温度。基于赤池信息准则筛选出的4个资源量预测模型分析表明,包含北极涛动指数、渔场海表面高度和渔场海表面温度的模型有较好的预测效果,该模型的验证结果也通过了t检验(P<0.05),可用于日本鲭太平洋群体资源量的预测。     

Cheats in a cooperative behaviour? Behavioural differences and breakdown of cooperative behaviour in aggregating,intertidal littorinids (Mollusca)

Cooperative behaviours result in the evolution of cheats: individuals that benefit from the behaviour without sharing the costs required to generate the behaviour. Normally the proportion of cheats is small, as large numbers of cheats will result in the breakdown of the behaviour. Using empirical and simulation‐derived results we demonstrate a cooperative behaviour (aggregation between two species of intertidal snails that provides a benefit by reducing desiccation stress) that shows many characteristics similar to those of a cooperative system with cheats present. In this system, the high rocky shore littorinid Echinolittorina malaccana forages for longer after high water than Echinolittorina radiata, which stops foraging and begins to form aggregations earlier. Nevertheless, E. malaccana, the ‘cheat’ in this system, still occupies an equal proportion of the most beneficial places in aggregations. Computer simulations demonstrate that up to 65% of individual snails can show the behaviour of E. malaccana before the breakdown of this aggregation behaviour begins to occur through aggregations becoming smaller, and hence less effective against desiccation. The high proportion of ‘cheats’ possible in this cooperative behaviour implies that different selective pressures may act on individuals of different species in multi‐species cooperative behaviours to those acting on individuals engaging in single species cooperative behaviours. Social symbiosis appears to be occurring between the species, but it appears that both mutualistic and parasitic symbioses are occurring.     

墨西哥湾海洋环境对蓝蟹(Callinectes sapidus)幼体分布和扩散的影响

本文以蓝蟹为例,研究海洋环境对甲壳动物幼体迁移规律和机制的影响。利用不规则三角形网格和有限体积模型(finite-volume coastal ocean model, FVCOM)耦合kinesis模型的方法,分析研究了墨西哥湾物理环境对蓝蟹(Callinectessapidus)幼体的分布和扩散途径的影响。蓝蟹在每年的四、五月份海水落潮期间产卵,通过跟踪算法从产卵区域沿着墨西哥湾海域进行模拟,获得了80天内蓝蟹幼体的粒子移动轨迹,记录并分析了幼体经过海域的盐度值。研究结果证明了该方法可有效模拟蓝蟹幼体在特定海域的迁移规律和扩散机制,进一步研究可为了解海洋物理环境对蓝蟹和其他渔业资源的影响提供借鉴。     

Groundwater response to the tide in wetlands: Observations from the Gillman Marshes,South Australia

We present results from a series of piezometers installed in the foreshore flat and mangrove environments of the Gillman Marshes, South Australia in an interdisciplinary study of the propagation of the ocean tide into the coastal aquifers. A unique feature of the analysis is that all water level records were harmonically analysed so that the behaviour of the four major tidal constituents could be independently examined. The main findings were that: (1) the decay of the groundwater tide in the coastal aquifers was greater than that predicted by the Ferris solution. A theoretical model has been developed and applied to the study site. The model suggests that this behaviour is due to the occurrence of a time delay in the Darcian response in the shelly and muddy sand substrate; (2) when the tide is incident over a gently sloping bank, the time delay in response gives rise to a spiked signal in which high water is confined to a small fraction of the tidal cycle; and (3) at the coastal interface tidal propagation across a sloping bank causes a rise in the water table relative to mean sea level which is proportional to the variance of tidal elevation and inversely proportional to the decay constant of the groundwater tide. The model developed in this study is also applicable to other coastal groundwater systems with tidal influence.     

2021～2022年荣成海域多相赤潮的分子鉴定

山东半岛濒临渤海和黄海,海岸带复杂,海岸线长,近岸海域赤潮事件频发。然而,由于部分赤潮物种的形态难以识别,或易降解不稳定,加上形态鉴定专业要求高,导致致灾赤潮物种未得到准确鉴定。2021年11月至2022年4月间山东荣成海域海带养殖区暴发严重赤潮事件,面积达1 440 km²,导致海带白化、溃烂,造成严重经济损失。对该海域水样固定样本的观察鉴定到两种致灾赤潮物种,红色赤潮藻(Akashiwo sanguinea)和多纹膝沟藻(Gonyaulax polygramma),二者均为山东近海常见的致灾赤潮物种。该研究通过对赤潮样本中活体单细胞的显微观察和单细胞测序分析,根据藻细胞形态特征与分子标记序列相似性鉴定到三种优势致灾赤潮物种,包括红色赤潮藻、多纹膝沟藻和灰白下沟藻(Katodinium glaucum)。其中灰白下沟藻由于在固定过程中不稳定而较少得到鉴定。对该赤潮海域水样开展宏条形码分析,除了发现上述三种致灾赤潮物种外,还发现了另外一个致灾赤潮物种纺锤环沟藻(Gyrodinium fusiforme)。纺锤环沟藻也由于在固定过程中不稳定而较少得到鉴定。由此可见,...     

不同气候模态下西北太平洋秋刀鱼资源丰度预测模型建立

秋刀鱼（Cololabis saira）资源对海洋环境因素极为敏感,不同气候模态可能对秋刀鱼资源丰度产生不同的影响。根据1990-2014年西北太平洋日本的秋刀鱼渔业中单位捕捞努力量渔获量（CPUE,以此作为资源丰度）,以及相应产卵场、索饵场的海表温（SST）遥感数据,探讨太平洋年际震荡（PDO）指数冷、暖年下,秋刀鱼资源丰度CPUE变化与产卵场、索饵场SST的关系,并分别建立资源丰度的预测模型。研究表明,PDO冷年索饵场4月SST与年CPUE显著相关（P<0.05）,PDO暖年索饵场11月的SST与年标准化CPUE显著相关（P<0.05）。PDO冷、暖年的秋刀鱼资源丰度的预测模型中,CPUE均与索饵场11月的SST、索饵场4月SST呈现正相关的关系,统计学上为显著相关（P<0.05）。PDO冷年（2012年）和PDO暖年（2014年）的CPUE预测值与实际值相对误差分别为14.03%、-16.26%,具有较好的拟合效果。研究认为,不同气候模态下,可用于秋刀鱼资源丰度预测的环境因子不同,上述建立资源丰度模型可用于业务化运行。     

Patterns of tidal flooding within a mangrove forest: Coombabah Lake,Southeast Queensland,Australia

Tidal flooding and surface drainage patterns have often been used to describe mangrove species zonation. However, in mangrove forests exhibiting little topography, ambiguous species distributions and/or few species, such approaches are ineffective. We identified four physiognomic mangrove forest types (Riverine, Fringing, Overwash and Basin) at Coombabah Lake, a tidal lake in southeast Queensland, Australia and investigated tidal flooding patterns using synoptic surveys of tidal observations at the local Standard Port combined with local water depth observation. Subsequently three sub-types of the basin forest type were identified: (1) Deep Basin Forest with mature trees, ∼50 cm standing water and ∼3 tides per year; (2) Medium Depth Basin Forest with intermediate tree development, ∼15–30 cm standing water and 20–40 tides per year; and (3) Shallow Basin Forest with relatively recent mangrove establishment, 5–15 cm standing water and ∼80 tides per year. These three basin sub-types were found to flood at different tide heights with the Shallow Basin flooding for tides above mean high water springs and the Deep Basin flooding only for tide heights approaching the highest astronomical tide. We propose that these basin types represent a succession in mangrove forest development that corresponds with increasing water depth and tree maturation over time. The succession not only represents increasing age but also change in basin substrate composition. This is manifest as increasing pneumatophore density and an increasing area of basin surface occupied by contiguous pneumatophore cover. As a result, it seems that mangrove development is able to modify tidal flooding into the basin by increasingly impeding water movement.