FIGURES 

 Number Page 



1 Approximate northern limits for the red mangrove (R), black 



mangrove (B), and white mangrove (W) in Florida 3 



2a A typical intertidal profile from south Florida showing the 



distribution of red and black mangroves 4 



2b The pattern of annual sea level change in south Florida 4 



3 Three species of Florida mangroves with propagules, flowers and leaves. 6 



4 The six mangrove community types 8 



5a Aboveground and belowground biomass of a Puerto Rican red 



mangrove forest 16 



5b Light attenuation in a mangrove canopy; canopy height is 8 m 16 



6 The hypothetical relationship between waterway position and 



community net primary production of Florida mangrove forests 22 



7 The hypothetical relationship between nutrient input, biomass, 

 productivity, and nutrient export from mangrove ecosystems 31 



8 Potential pathways of energy flow in mangrove ecosystems 37 



9 Vertical distribution of selected algae and invertebrates on 



red mangrove prop roots 42 



10 Photograph of red mangrove prop root habitat in clear shallow 



water with associated animal and plant populations 46 



11 Gradient of mangrove-associated fish communities showing 

 representative species 51 



12 Aerial photograph of the mangrove belt of southwest Florida 



near Whi tewater Bay 53 



13 The mangrove water snake, Nerodia fasciata compressicauda , 



curl ed on a red mangrove prop root 59 



14 A variety of wading birds feeding in a mangrove-lined pool 



near Flamingo, Florida 62 



15 Osprey returning to its nest in a red mangrove near Whitewater Bay 69 



16 Damaged stand of red and black mangroves near Flamingo, Florida, 



as it appeared 7 years after Hurricane Donna 78 



17 Mangrove forest near Key West as it appeared in 1981 after 



being destroyed by diking and impounding 79 



18 Mangrove islands in Florida Bay near Upper Matecumbe Key 87 



TABLES 

 Number Page 



la Estimates of mangrove production in Florida 20 



lb Comparative measurements of photosynthesis in gC/m 2 /day 21 



lc Gross primary production at different salinities 21 



2 Aboveground biomass of mangrove forests in the Ten Thousand 



Islands region of Florida 27 



3 Estimates of litter fall in mangrove forests 33 



4 Estimates of particulate carbon export from mangrove forests 35 



5 Nesting statistics of wading birds and associated species in 



south Florida, 1974-75 64 



6 Timing of nesting by wading birds and associated species in 



south Florida 66 



7 General response of mangrove ecosystems to severe oil spills 82 



8 Estimated impact of various stages of oil mining on mangrove ecosystems 83 



vm 



