Responses and Tolerance Mechanisms of Mangrove Trees to the Ambient Salinity along the Egyptian Red Sea Coast

Abstract Due to the importance of mangrove forests to the ecological system, environment, climate change adaptation, mitigation and ecosystem services, it is necessary to understand the status of the mangroves in Egypt (ecology and physiology). The present study aimed to obtain the basic information needed to evaluate the photosynthetic pigments and proline mechanisms of Avicennia marina and Rhizophora mucronata mangrove to the ambient salinity. The results reached that the free proline accumulated appreciably in leaves. The functional role of proline accumulation appears to be as a cytoplasmic osmoticum to lower cell water potential, provide hydration to bipolymer and serve as an energy source under high salinity environmental conditions. Mangroves showed variations in proline content between the two species. The highest value of proline was recorded 23.56 mg/g dry wt for R. mucronata and the minimum value was recorded 17 mg/g dry wt for A. marina. In addition, the mean value of proline was recorded 18.57 mg/g dry wt for A. marina and 23.98 mg/g dry wt for R. mucronata. The contents of chlorophyll-a in different analyzed mangroves was ranged from 4.46 to 6.05 mg/gf.wt. for A. marina, and from 3.69 to 4.29 mg/gf.wt. for R. mucronata. In addition, the chlorophyll-b content was ranged from 1.46 to 1.83 mg/gf.wt. for A. marina, and from 1.27 to 1.65 mg/gf.wt. for R. mucronata. The carotenoids contents in mangroves ranged from 2.94 to 2.29 mg/gf.wt for A. marina and from 2.04 to 2.09 mg/gf.wt for R. mucronata. In the present study, A. marina was relatively more tolerant and adapted to salinity, low rainfall and extreme temperature conditions than R. mucronata. This explains the more significant local distribution of A. marina in Egypt compared to R. mucronata.