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Journal of Tropical Oceanography

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Spatiotemporal succession of the exotic mangrove Sonneratia apetala in the Maowei Sea tidal flats, Beibu Gulf

XIE Xiaokui1, LI Xingrong2, WANG Riming1, DAI Zhijun3*, GONG Shouji4, PANG Wenhong5, ZHANG Shangyu2   

  1. 1. Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Change and Disaster in Beibu Gulf /College of Resources and Environment, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou 535011, China;

    2. CCCC-FHDI Engineering Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510230, China;

    3. State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Costal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China;

    4. College of Food Engineering, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou 535011, China;

    5. Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Change and Disaster in Beibu Gulf / College of Marine Sciences, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou 535011, China

  • Received:2025-05-08 Revised:2025-05-26 Accepted:2025-05-30
  • Supported by:

    Key Special Project of Intergovernmental International Scientific and Technological Innovation Cooperation under the National Key R&D Program (Mechanisms of Erosion and Retreat in Estuarine Tidal Wetlands Driven by Climatic and Non-Climatic Factors and Restoration Technologies), National Natural Science Foundation Key Program(41930537), National Natural Science Foundation of China(42366009) , Open Fund Project of the Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Change and Disaster in Beibu Gulf Research (2021KA02), Qinzhou Scientific Research and Technology Development Program(20223623)

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Abstract: The non-native mangrove species poses a serious threat to the ecological diversity of regional native mangroves by occupying the habitat of indigenous species and rapidly expansion. This study takes the "Maowei Sea Mangrove Nature Reserve" in Guangxi, China, as a case study and investigates the spatiotemporal dynamics and key driving factors of the exotic mangrove Sonneratia apetala (S. apetala) from 2000 to 2023 using multi-temporal remote sensing imagery, UAV aerial photography, and field survey data, employing machine learning techniques. The primary findings are summarized below: (1) From 2002 to 2023, the distribution area of S. apetala gradually increased from zero to 1076.77 hm². Between 2002 and 2015, it presented expansion with slowly rate of 11.43 hm² per year, reaching 138.20 hm² by 2015. From 2015 to 2023, the expansion accelerated, increasing at an average rate of 116.46 hm² per year. (2) S. apetala exhibited a clear gradient distribution pattern across the Maowei Sea. In the western region, it formed clustered aggregations; in the central tidal flats, it was interspersed with native mangrove species; and in the eastern tidal flats, it appeared as scattered, point-like occurrences. The expansion progressed in two distinct stages. From 2002 to 2014, S. apetala spread from the western Kangxiling tidal flats along the banks of the Dalan River. By 2015, it had crossed the river and established itself in the central region of the Maowei Sea, followed by continued expansion toward the eastern tidal flats between 2015 and 2023. (3) Artificial planting and mangrove conservation efforts within the reserve were the direct drivers of the establishment and continued expansion of S. apetala in the Maowei Sea. Sediment carried by riverine runoff contributed to tidal flat accretion, providing the spatial foundation for its expansion. Meanwhile, the Coriolis force, which causes a rightward deflection of tidal currents, was the primary factor driving the eastward spread and upstream migration of S. apetala along the river. This study offers theoretical insights and data support for controlling the rapid spread of S. apetala in the Maowei Sea and for maintaining the health and biodiversity of the native mangrove ecosystem.

Key words: Sonneratia apetala, exotic species, mangroves, Maowei Sea