4. Discussion
We examined the impacts of plant form and intertidal gradient on leaf
structural traits and analyzed the relationships between leaf structural
traits and plant size among 10 dominant mangrove species. Our findings
indicate that most leaf traits were significantly affected by growth
form, intertidal gradient, and their interactions, consistent with our
first alternative hypothesis. We also found a negative relationship
between leaf economic traits (LMA, LDMC, and LD) and plant size,
consistent with our second alternative hypothesis.