Impact of long-term, saline flooding on condition and reproduction of the clonal wetland tree, Melaleuca ericifolia (Myrtaceae)

Although water regime modification and salinity are recognised as significant threats to wetland ecosystems worldwide, the effects of long-term saline flooding (decades) on woody tree persistence are poorly quantified. We compared the condition, growth, structure and reproduction (sexual and asexual) of mature individuals of the clonal tree, Melaleuca ericifolia (Myrtaceae), that experienced continual (> 30 years) flooding with trees that were only intermittently (approximately every 5 years) flooded.