Format: ORAL

Mary L. Berdugo-Lattke 1,2 , J. Orlando Rangel-Ch 2

1 Grupo de investigación de agua y desarrollo sostenible, Semillero Tygua, Programa de Biología, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Central, Bogotá, Colombia 2 Grupo de investigación de biodiversidad y conservación, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia

The biotypological foliar pattern was characterized in the mangrove vegetation (39 inventories or surveys) of the Caribbean region of Colombia, in localities of the departments La Guajira (arid), Magdalena (semiarid), Sucre (semihumid), Crdoba (humid), defined by three phytosociological formations or alliances: Lagunculario racemosae - Avicennion germinantis especially the association Avicennion germinantis-Rhizophoretum manglis (Magdalena, Sucre); Lagunculario racemosae-Rhizophorion manglis with the association Lagunculario racemosae-Conocarpodetum erecti (La Guajira, Magdalena P. N.N. Tayrona) and Fico dendrocidae - Rhizophorion manglis especially the association Priorio copaiferae-Rhizophoretum manglis (Córdoba). Between 5 to 20 leaves and one branch fragment were collected per survey to estimate leaf area (cm2), specific weight (gr/dm2), succulence (gr/dm2), dry mass (%), thickness (mm) and wood density (gr/ml). A total of 812 samples were processed, from 14 families, 19 genera and 21 species. The general pattern corresponds to simple, notophyll leaves (31-53 cm2), with elliptic and oblong shapes, entire margin, obtuse apex and base, coriaceous consistency, unprotected and lamina thickness B (0.16-0.35mm). As the aridity condition increases (arid and semi-arid zones La Guajira, Tayrona N.N.P.), there is a tendency to increase the values of specific weight and succulence (gr/dm2), dry mass (%), leaf thickness (mm) and wood density (gr/ml), conditions that are related to higher salinity. Leaf area increases in the semi-humid and humid zones (moderate relationship with precipitation, R2 = 0.62**), a condition associated with lower salinity and/or greater influence of continental water. The results illustrate the differential responses related to the type of mangrove vegetation (floristic composition and structure-architecture aspects), furthermore the strategies species for to control salinity regulation and transpiration.