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Osmotic adaption in Australian mangroves

  • Chapter
Ecology of coastal vegetation

Part of the book series: Advances in vegetation science ((AIVS,volume 6))

Abstract

Young and old leaves of twenty-three mangrove species from northern Queensland (Australia) were investigated for their mineral ion and organic solute content. With a few exceptions, the Na+ and the Cl− concentrations calculated on the basis of plant water (p.w.) were close to that of seawater and showed little age-induced changes. In some species, especially in Ceriops tagal, SO 2−4 accumulated with increasing leaf age. The most widely distributed organic solutes were pinitol and mannitol, which were stored up to 280 mM plant water. A negative correlation between pinitol and SO 2−4 was found in the case of Ceriops tagal. Other compatible solutes known for halophytes, such as proline and methylated quaternary ammonium compounds (MQAC), were present only in a few mangrove species. Proline occurred in two Xylocarpus species, while MQAC were accumulated by Avicennia eucalyptifolia, A. marina, Acanthus ilicifolius, Heritiera littoralis and Hibiscus tiliaceus. In all other species, low molecular weight carbohydrates (LMWC) were the main organic solutes.

Nomenclature follows the checklist of the Australian Institute of Marine Science (Townsville).

Acknowledgements: This study was supported by grants from the H. and E. Walter-Stiftung (West Germany, Schimper-Fellowship 1981 to M. P.) and by the Austrian Science Research Fund (Project No. 4051). The kind help and support from Dir. Dr J. and E. Bunt as well as from Dr B. Clough (AIMS, Townsville) during sample collection is thankfully acknowledged. Thanks are due to Doz. Dr Jurinitsch (Pharmacy Dept., University of Vienna) for identification of hexitols by capillary GC, to Mag. V. Langer and Mag. H. Rößner for their skillful technical assistance, and to A. Dickie for correcting the manuscript.

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Author notes

  1. M. Popp

    Present address: Dept of Environmental Biology, R.S.B.S., A.N.U., P.O. Box 475, Canberra City, A.C.T., 2601, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Pflanzenphysiologie der Universität Wien, Althanstraβe 14, 1090, Wien, Austria

    M. Popp

  2. Laboratoire de Biologie végétale, Université de Nancy I, B.P.N° 239, 54506, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy Cedex, France

    F. Larher & P. Weigel

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  1. M. Popp
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  2. F. Larher
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  3. P. Weigel
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Delta Institute for Hydrobiological Research, Vierstraat 28, 4401 EA, Yerseke, The Netherlands

    W. G. Beeftink  & A. H. L. Huiskes  & 

  2. Department of Ecology Biological Laboratory, Free University, P.O. Box 7161, 1007 MC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    J. Rozema

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© 1985 Dr W. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht

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Popp, M., Larher, F., Weigel, P. (1985). Osmotic adaption in Australian mangroves. In: Beeftink, W.G., Rozema, J., Huiskes, A.H.L. (eds) Ecology of coastal vegetation. Advances in vegetation science, vol 6. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5524-0_27

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5524-0_27

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8938-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-5524-0

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