Mangrove flora: A review of floristic studies in mangrove areas

Mangroves are ecosystems that harbor a rich plant biodiversity and play a crucial role in coastal protection and climate change mitigation. This work aimed to conduct a literature review on the floristic diversity found in mangrove areas in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, comparing their similarities and differences, thus contributing to the knowledge of floristic diversity and future conservation projects. To this end, a search was conducted in the following databases: Google Scholar, SciELO, and ScienceDirect for articles published between 2010 and 2023 that directly explored the floristic diversity of mangroves in the three study areas. In total, 118 references were identified, of which 32 correspond to studies conducted in the Americas and 16 in Africa, in addition to other references that contribute to the discussion of this work. The distribution of species is quite heterogeneous among countries and continents, being determined by zoning patterns, with the genus Rhizophora standing out, occurring in most of the selected studies, and represented by the following species: Rhizophora mangle, R. mucronata, R. racemosa. Acrostichum aureum L., Fimbristylis ferruginea (L.) Vahl and Sesuvium portulacastrum (L.) L. are considered common associated species in the three locations. Africa (174 spp.), Asia (225 spp.) and America (147 spp.) each present relevant endemisms. The analysis revealed differences in composition between continents and gaps in areas dominated by herbaceous plants, such as salt marshes, which are traditionally undersampled. These results reinforce the need to expand collection and investigation efforts, aiming to deepen knowledge about the diversity, dynamics and ecology of these ecosystems.