Mortality and Initial Propagule Size in Mangrove Seedlings in Panama

SUMMARY (1) Cohorts of seedlings of Avicennia bicolor+A. germinans, Laguncularia racemosa, Pelliciera rhizophorae and Rhizophora mangle were studied for 1 year, the Avicennia and Pelliciera on the Pacific side of the Isthmus of Panama, and the Laguncularia and Rhizophora on the Caribbean side. The seedlings were in almost pure stands of the mangroves concerned. (2) There was an exponential decay of numbers in three species, the half-lives being 85, 338 and 604 days in Avicennia, Rhizophora and Pelliciera respectively. (3) The rate of decay of the Laguncularia cohort increased with time; 50% were lost in