Overview of Ecology of Mangroves and Information Needs for Florida Bay

The mangrove forest areas bordering Florida Bay have provided research data and information which have formed the bases both for conservation laws and for the advances in mangrove research at other laboratories throughout the world. In this regard, the structural diversity of Florida Bay mangroves has been reasonably documented, but little research has been done on functional diversity, particularly as it relates to the nearshore estuarine flora and fauna. It is postulated that the quantity, quality and timing of fluxes of dissolved organic matter from different mangrove forest types may have a significant regulatory or control role in the structure and functioning of estuarine populations. This postulation focuses on a new area in chemical ecology which could lead to important new research findings on the interrelationships between mangrove forest habitats and the biological organization of estuarine communities.