Research Product

Field studies were made to determine the relationship between general water quality parameters, with emphasis on pesticides and metal pollutants, and the functioning of the halophytic mangroves. It was concluded, from a broad range of ecological sample analyses, that mangroves are relatively insensitive to toxic materials in the parts per million range and lower. Further, they do not significantly concentrate synthetic organics or metals to levels which could be considered harmful to detritus feeders, although it is not known whether further biological concentration occurs during decomposition enrichment. Observed large differences in mangrove production and structure do appear to be related to: (1) terrestrial runoff and its entrained nutrients, (2) periodic inundation by runoff and/or tidal activity, and (3) deposits of organic matter in the substrate.