We investigated the forest structure, leaf demography, leaf allometry and growth of the erect canopy of the mangrove palm Nypa fruticans in four river systems distributed over 10 degrees of latitude in the tropics of northeast Australia and Papua New Guinea to obtain estimates of aboveground biomass (AGB) and annual aboveground net primary production (ANPP). In the four river sites Nypa mean leaf and tree densities ranged from 6538 to 12,200 leaves ha⁻¹, and 1526 to 3550 trees ha^-1 and differed significantly among sites, with the lowest densities at the lowest latitude site. AGB ranged from 36.5 to 55.7 Mg ha⁻¹ and also differed among sites with the lowest AGB at the lowest latitude site. The mean plastochron increased with increasing periods of cooler air temperatures. Mean litter production per tree (range, 6.0–16.2 kg year⁻¹) was least in the low latitude site and mean total productivity per tree (range, 13.9–25.1 kg year⁻¹) did not differ significantly across sites. ANPP was lowest in the low latitude site and ranged from 23.8 to 60.9 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. This placed Nypa forests in the mid to high range of global estimates of ANPP. Rates of litter production at three sites (range, 25.7–37.5 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) was much greater than for litterfall in any other mangrove forest. ANPP estimated using a combination of demographic data and leaf allometry compares well with previous estimates using a light interception method to predict productivity. The complex pattern of differences in forest structure, growth and ANPP across latitudes likely represent differences in catchment land use, successional stages of forests, river discharge and variation in the length of the dry season.

我们调查了澳大利亚东北东北部和巴布亚新几内亚热带地区分布在纬度10度的四个河流系统中的红树林棕榈Nypa fruticans的森林结构，叶片人口统计学，叶片异形体和直立冠层的生长情况，以获取地上生物量的估计值（ AGB）和年度地上净初级生产量（ANPP）。在四个河流站点，Nypa的平均叶和树的密度范围从6538到12200叶ha ^-1，和1526到3550棵树ha ^-1，并且在站点之间差异显着，最低的密度在最低的纬度站点。AGB为36.5至55.7 Mg ha ^-1并且在最低纬度站点上具有最低AGB的站点之间也有所不同。平均节律性随着凉爽空气温度的增加而增加。在低纬度地区，每棵树的平均凋落物产量（范围为6.0-16.2 kg年^-1）最少，每棵树的平均总生产力（范围为13.9-25.1 kg年- ^1年）在各站点之间没有显着差异。ANPP在低纬度地区最低，范围为23.8至60.9 Mg ha - ¹ 年^-1。这使Nypa森林处于对ANPP的全球估计的中高范围。三个地点（范围25.7–37.5 Mg ha - ¹ 年^-1）的凋落物生产速率）比其他任何红树林的凋落物要大得多。结合人口统计数据和叶片异速生长法估算的ANPP与采用光拦截法预测生产力的先前估算值相比非常好。跨纬度的森林结构，生长和ANPP差异的复杂模式可能表示流域土地利用，森林的演替阶段，河流流量和干旱季节长度的变化。