Abstract
Mangrove litter is a source of energy to marine organisms existing in waters adjacent to mangrove habitats. Mangroves of the Red Sea are known to grow in one of the hottest and most saline areas on earth. The average daily production of litter in a mangrove stand located in the central part of the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coast (Ras Hatiba), was estimated to be 2.16 g dry weight/sq m/day during 1986 and was found to be comparable with other productive mangrove habitats of the world. Litter was collected monthly, and after drying was sorted out and weighed for different compartments or fractions of litter like leaves, floral parts and fruits. Maximum litter fall occurred during March and April and is correlated with decreasing air temperatures in the preceding months. Of all the litter compartments, leaves contributed overwhelmingly to total litter throughout the year except during March and April, when fruits superseded them at 66% of total litter fall. The similarity in litter production in mangroves on a unit area basis from areas of the world widely apart, including the present one with extreme climatic conditions, suggests that it is not a function of climate, latitude or productivity of the area. (VerNooy-PTT)