Research Article

The State of the World's Mangrove Forests: Past, Present, and Future

Published: 2019-10-17

Journal: Annual Review of Environment and Resources

DOI: 10.1146/annurev-environ-101718-033302

Abstract

Intertidal mangrove forests are a dynamic ecosystem experiencing rapid changes in extent and habitat quality over geological history, today and into the future. Climate and sea level have drastically altered mangrove distribution since their appearance in the geological record ∼75 million years ago (Mya), through to the Holocene. In contrast, contemporary mangrove dynamics are driven primarily by anthropogenic threats, including pollution, overextraction, and conversion to aquaculture and agriculture. Deforestation rates have declined in the past decade, but the future of mangroves is uncertain; new deforestation frontiers are opening, particularly in Southeast Asia and West Africa, despite international conservation policies and ambitious global targets for rehabilitation. In addition, geological and climatic processes such as sea-level rise that were important over geological history will continue to influence global mangrove distribution in the future. Recommendations are given to reframe mangrove conservation, with a view to improving the state of mangroves in the future.

Faculty Members

  • Daniel A. Friess - Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117570;Mangrove Specialist Group, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
  • Ken W. Krauss - Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, United States Geological Survey, Lafayette, Louisiana 70506, USA
  • Catherine E. Lovelock - School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
  • Kerrylee Rogers - School of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia
  • Jurgenne Primavera - Mangrove Specialist Group, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)Zoological Society of London, Iloilo City 5000, Philippines
  • Shing Yip Lee - Mangrove Specialist Group, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
  • Suhua Shi - School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
  • Stuart E. Hamilton - Department of Geography and Geosciences, Salisbury University, Salisbury, Maryland 21801, USA
  • Richard Lucas - Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3DB, United Kingdom
  • Anusha Rajkaran - Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa

Themes

  • impact of climate change on mangrove distribution
  • deforestation and conservation challenges
  • anthropogenic threats to mangrove forests
  • recommendations for improving mangrove conservation
  • importance of geological processes in ecosystem changes
  • dynamic nature of mangrove ecosystems

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