Coastal nutrient enrichments facilitated reproductive output in exotic mangrove species over two decades

Litterfall may facilitate the outperformance of exotic species by inducing better resource acquisition and reproductive performance. However, drivers that determine litterfall patterns in native have remained insufficiently investigated due to lack long-term observations. Here, we employed empirical dynamic modeling on a two-decade-long observation (1999–2019) subtropical mangrove forest Shenzhen, China, evaluate relative importance environmental different species. We found leaf both was strongly altered temperature, causal relationship stronger dominant Sonneratia apetala compared main driver output differed largely between species; temperature cause reproduction, whereas coastal nutrients drove Our study highlighted high nutrient availability Shenzhen Bay past decade allowed S. gain than imply enriched water likely contributed dominance China’s forest.