Leaf phenological traits in the mangrove Kandelia candel (L.) Druce

Leaf phenological traits of a sub-tropical Rhizophoracean mangrove, Kandeli a candel (L.) Druce, for the period May 1994 to July 1995, are discussed in relation to prevailing environmental factors. Leaf phenologies were charac terized by summer leaf production maxima and winter leaf loss maxima. Resul ts of canonical correlation analysis indicate that about 70% of the seasona l variation in leaf production was explained by variation in temperature, h umidity and day-length, hence, supporting the hypothesis that leaf phenolog ical traits had a strong environmental component. The strongest single-vari able regression model for leaf formation was produced in a temperature mode l transformed into second order kinetics (r=0.8, p<0.01). This suggests tha t temperature (or temperature related effects) was the strongest environmen tal gradient controlling leaf production in K. candel. (C) 2000 Elsevier Sc ience B.V. All rights reserved.