Zonation of mangrove flora and fauna in a subtropical estuarine wetland based on surface elevation

In the context of sea‐level rise (SLR), an understanding of the spatial distributions of mangrove flora and fauna is required for effective ecosystem management and conservation. These distributions are greatly affected by tidal inundation, and surface elevation is a reliable quantitative indicator of the effects of tidal inundation. Most recent studies have focused exclusively on the quantitative relationships between mangrove‐plant zonation and surface elevation, neglecting mangrove fauna. Here, we measured surface elevation along six transects through the mangrove forests of a subtropical estuarine wetland in Zhenzhu Bay (Guangxi, China), using a real‐time kinematic global positioning system. We identified the mangrove plants along each transect and investigated the spatial distributions of arboreal, epifaunal, and infaunal molluscs, as well as infaunal crabs, using traditional quadrats. Our results indicated that almost all mangrove forests in the bay were distributed within the 400–750 m intertidal zone, between the local mean sea level and mean high water (119 cm above mean sea level). Mangrove plants exhibited obvious zonation patterns, and different species tended to inhabit different niches along the elevation gradient: Aegiceras corniculatum dominated in seaward locations while Lumnitzera racemosa dominated in landward areas. Mangrove molluscs also showed distinct patterns of spatial zonation related to surface elevation, independent of life‐form and season. The spatial distributions of some molluscs were correlated to the relative abundances of certain mangrove plants. In contrast, the spatial distributions of crabs were not related to surface elevation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to explicitly quantify the influences of surface elevation on the spatial distributions of mangrove fauna. This characterization of the vertical ranges of various flora and fauna in mangrove forests provides a basic framework for future studies aimed at predicting changes in the structure and functions of mangrove forests in response to SLR.