5. Conclusions
We examined the responses of leaf structural traits to growth form and
intertidal gradient as well as the associations between leaf traits and
plant size across mangrove species in Dongzhaigang, China. Our findings
revealed that leaf traits differed significantly among growth forms in
response to intertidal gradients. These findings contribute to a deeper
understanding of plant adaptive strategies and trait evolution in
response to diverse environmental conditions. Negative relationships
between leaf traits (LMA, LDMC, LD, LCC, and WSD) and plant size (height
and diameter) were found for each growth form and intertidal zone, as
well as for the pooled data set. These findings suggest that
mangrove trees undergo a size-dependent shift from resource-conservative
to resource-acquisitive strategies with increasing stature. It is
imperative to emphasize that additional studies are warranted to
elucidate intraspecific trait variability at local scales. Such research
would significantly enhance our understanding of community assembly
dynamics and the mechanisms by which plant communities influence
ecosystem processes (Kumordzi et al., 2014). Exploring
the variability of intraspecific traits at local scales, both among
communities and across environmental gradients, represents a promising
and intriguing pathway for future scientific investigations.