Chennai: A new study has claimed that mangrove forests are facing a ‘triple threat’ to their long-term durability and survival.
Published in Environmental Research Letters, the research says mangrove forests are under pressure from three distinct threats—sea-level rise, lack of mud and squeezed habitats.
Mangrove forests, having a large biodiversity, are among the world’s most valuable ecosystems that provide coastal protection.
Conducted by an international team of experts including Dr Barend van Maanen from the University of Exeter, the study identifies not only how these coastal forests get pushed against their shores, but also what causes the loss of their diversity.
It shows the negative effects of river dams that decrease the supply of mud that could otherwise raise mangrove soils, while buildings and seawalls largely occupy the space that mangroves require for survival.