DOI: 10.5061/dryad.4qrfj6qjw
title: Data from: Interaction between plants through litter input in mangrove succession in the Red River Delta

description: Aims: Dominant or pioneer species litter decomposition was found to be
 involved in the recruitment of following species during succession in
 terrestrial plant communities, while knowledge remains scarce in wetland
 forests such as mangroves. Our study evaluated the influence of pioneer
 species leaf litter decomposition on (i) the settlement success of species
 following them or not in the natural succession and (ii) on soil
 characteristics. Location: Red River Delta, Vietnam Methods: We set-up an
 in-situ experiment in mesocosms that followed survival and growth of three
 species (Kandelia obovata, Aegiceras corniculatum and Rhizophora stylosa)
 planted in soils of Avicennia marina or Sonneratia caseolaris, with or
 without leaf litter addition for 203 days. Soils nutrient contents were
 determined at the beginning and end of the experiment, and their metabolic
 fingerprints were compared using an untargeted metabolomic approach, to
 highlight potential allelochemicals, when a phytotoxic effect was
 observed. Results: Seedling response to litter addition was
 species-specific, which can be linked to their successional status. K.
 obovata was most affected by litter addition, showing better growth with
 both litter types. Meanwhile, A. marina litter substantially decreased
 survival rates by 50% for K. obovata and 33% for R. stylosa, suggesting a
 strategy to delay its replacement by these species through the release of
 phytotoxic decomposition by-products. Metabolic fingerprints of A. marina
 soils planted with K. obovata showed no shift in global chemical
 composition, but 12 features were found significantly more abundant in the
 presence of litter. Putative annotations revealed sulfur-containing
 metabolites, which are probable products of organic matter sulfurization,
 a frequently occurring process in mangrove sediments. These unusual
 compounds may act as allelochemicals and should be further assessed.
 Conclusions: Our findings suggest that allelopathic processes through
 litter decomposition may be at play in mangrove community assembly and
 could be a tool for restoration purposes.
description: # Data from: Interaction between plants through litter input in mangrove
 succession in the Red River Delta
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.4qrfj6qjw](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.4qrfj6qjw) ## Description of the data and file structure This supplementary dataset, integral to our research paper, contains data crucial for understanding the key findings of our study. It includes the growth (height and number of leaves) and survival response of target seedlings during our assay, the results of soil nutrient analysis, and the soil metabolomics dataset. ### Files and variables #### File: data\_soils.xlsx **Description:** contains results of soils nutrient content analyses ##### Variables * total organic carbon * available nitrogen * available phosphorus * CN ratio #### File: data\_survival.xlsx **Description:** contains survival response of target seedlings during our assay ##### Variables * number seedlings alive and dead #### File: data\_soils\_metabolomics.xlsx **Description:** contains a list of features detected by UHPLC-ESI-qToF in each analyzed soil sample ##### Variables * relative abundances #### File: data\_growth.xlsx **Description:** contains growth response of target seedlings during our assay ##### Variables * height * number of leaves ## Code/software Microsoft Excel