Internodal Analysis of Avicennia marina in the Western Arabian Gulf

Abstract

The growth of Avicennia marina (A. marina) was not previously assessed using internodal analysis in the Western Arabian Gulf. The node production in 40 branches/axillary shoot in Syhat city, Saudi Arabia, ranged from 6 to 9 nodes y–1. Moreover, the annual cycles of the internodal length represent the branch growth rate in centimeters per year (ranged from 12 to 43 cm; median of 19 cm) for minima to minima point and (from 15 to 46.5 cm; median of 25.5 cm) for maxima to maxima point. The results obtained in this study are fundamental for various applications, ranging from the planning of restoration and monitoring activities to reproduction estimates and establishing a useful baseline to assess responses to climate change via simple measurements. In particular, mangrove species are important as nurseries for many species for food and shelter, carbon sinks, and coastal protection.