Point sources of nutrients that result in elevated levels of phosphorus in T. hemprichii tissues have previously been reported adjacent to bird colonies in tropical carbonate systems and adjacent to submarine springs in Puerto Morelos Lagoon . Similarly to the current study, the phosphorus content in T. hemprichii leaves was significantly higher closer to the source. In these previous studies, the maximum levels of phosphorus in the tissues were found to be 0.161 ± 0.002 P% at a distance of 30 m from the bird colony and 0.38 ± 0.06 P% adjacent to submarine
springs in Puerto Morelos Lagoon after rainfall.