Diversity and Function in Mangrove Ecosystems, 1999 Proceedings of Mangrove Symposia held in Toulouse, France, 9–10 July 1997 and 8–10 July 1998 Developments in Hydrobiology Series, Vol. 145

Mangroves are salt-adapted plants that are found along many of the world's tropical and sub-tropical coastlines. Regrettably, these plants are being lost due to over-exploitation, pollution, conversion to agriculture and aquaculture and other causes. This is having important consequences for local human populations that traditionally rely on this resource, and is upsetting the fine balance needed to maintain this highly productive ecosystem.
This text brings together some papers from two recent international symposia on the mangrove ecosystem. It provides an outline of future directions in mangrove research considered to be urgent by prominent mangrove scientists. Contributions include aspects of population differentiation in mangrove species that have been very little studied so far, ecological function, and restoration and management of the mangrove ecosystem. This book is intended for scientists actively working in the areas of mangrove ecology and management.

Preface. A case of natural selection in Atlantic-East-Pacific Rhizophora; Z. Afzal-Rafii, et al. Genetic differentiation between Brugueira gymnorhiza and B. sexangula in Sri Lanka; P.D. Abeysinghe, et al. Faunal zonation and assemblages in the Pacific Colombian mangroves; J.R. Cantera, et al. Impact of ecological factors on the regeneration of mangroves in the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, Colombia; C. Elster, et al. Mangrove rehabilitation: choice and necessity; C.D. Field. Phenological patterns of Rhizophora L., Avicennia L. and Laguncularia Gaertn. f. in Amazonian mangrove swamps; M.E.B. Fernandes. Red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle L.) litter fall response to selective pruning Indian River Lagoon, Florida, U.S.A.; R.W. Parkinson, et al. Breakdown of mangrove leaf litter in a managed mangrove forest in Peninsular Malaysia; E.C. Ashton, et al. Insect herbivory on mangrove leaves in Guadeloupe: effects on biomass and mineral content; E. Saur, et al. Mangrove-saltmarsh dynamics on a bay-head delta in the Hawkesbury River estuary, New South Wales, Australia; N. Saintilan, T.R. Hashimoto. Natural spatial dynamics of mangals through their margins: diagnostic elements; J.-M. Lebigre. Mangrove dynamics in the Rivières du Sud area, West Africa: an ecogeographic approach; F. Bertrand. Mangrove mapping in North-Western Madagascar using SPOT-XS and SIR-C radar data; V. Pasqualini, et al.