We all hear about mangroves, and how they’ve have been a part of our ecosystem for ages. We also hear about how they are disappearing faster than ever! TEMPO offers you a primer on the root of the mangroves issue, and what we can all do to save them.
THE ISSUE
At the intersection of land and sea, mangrove forests support a wealth of life, from starfish to people, and may be more important to the health of the planet than we ever realized. However, we are losing them at an alarming rate. We must work quickly to ensure that we protect our planet from human activities that destroy mangroves.
Understanding mangroves
Mangrove forests grow on tropical coasts with soft soils. Mangroves and coral reefs share a symbiotic relationship – the reef protects the coast where the mangroves grow from being eroded by the sea, and the forest traps sediments washed from the land that would otherwise smother the reef. Mangroves are a valuable ecological and economic resource – they are important nursery grounds and breeding sites for birds, fish, crustaceans, shell- fish, reptiles and mammals. They are also a renewable source of wood and serve accumulation sites for sediments, contaminants, carbon and nutrients; and offer protection against coastal erosion.
Defining the problem
Over the past 50 years, approximately one-third of the world’s mangrove forests have been lost. There are some natural threats to mangroves, such as frost and hurricanes, but the majority of mangrove decline is human induced. Habitat destruction and pollution are among the numerous threats mangroves face. Climate change is another factor that could seriously impact mangrove forests. As temperatures warm and the sea rises, mangroves will be forced landward out of their current habitats. Slow growing species may not be able to keep up with these changes. Over the next 25 years, unrestricted clear felling, aquaculture, and overexploitation of fisheries will be the greatest threats, with lesser problems being hydrology, pollution and global warming. Loss of biodiversity is, and will continue to be, a severe problem as even pristine mangroves are species-poor compared with other tropical ecosystems.
Why we should save mangroves.
The mangroves help sustain the lives of several species – from corals to birds to humans! Their symbiotic relationship implies that it is near impossible for corals to survive without the aid of the mangroves. Nature, as always, is interlinked. With the disappearance, of one species comes the extinction of another.
Mangroves also serve as important habitat for several types of fishes and is an important staging and wintering area for migratory birds such as shorebirds, gulls and terns. In addition to their scenic beauty, mangroves can also be used to desalinate the water because they can sustain themselves in salt-rich ocean water where most forms of flora perish.
How does this affect the UAE?
In the UAE about 2,930 hectares are covered with mangroves of the Avicennia marina species. Just like many other parts of the world, we also face pressures to produce enough food to meet the demands of an ever-growing population, just as the quick climb to urbanization and industrial development have taken their toll on our environment. Another activity that has contributed to the rapid decline of this habitat is the oil pollution. Mangroves in the UAE are plentiful, and are home to some indigenous, endangered species as well.
FINDING A SOLUTION
Here, in the UAE, we have taken matters into our own hands. With the leadership strongly committed to environment and wildlife protection and conservation, many programmes and projects were conducted by various environmental agencies to protect and develop mangroves. In this context, the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA) has implemented a number of programmes. Indeed, a large-scale mangrove development project along the coastal zones of Abu Dhabi was launched in coordination with Jodco.
A team of experts from ERWDA and from International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISMES) successfully completed a survey in Abu Dhabi and decided to establish an inter-tidal nursery to provide stock for doing plantation in suitable areas. The objectives were to help increase biological resources, beautify Abu Dhabi’s landscape, enhance the existing ecosystem and save freshwater resources by utilising salt water.
Mangroves are being managed through more general legislation relating to the environment, fisheries, coasts and wetlands. There has been a drive to incorporate this knowledge into management efforts combined with a move to establish integrated strategies to manage both the direct industry uses of coastal resources and their impact on the broader environment.
Can you help as an individual?
You bet! Get acquainted with the mangroves near your area, and:
- Be vigilant towards activities taking place in your surroundings and keep an open eye to note destruction in mangrove forests.
- Complain to the local authorities in case you observe any violation.
- Join organizations aimed at conserving mangroves.
- Strive to create awareness among as many people as possible.
We must realize in time that each species is, related to and, dependent on others, and that the disappearance of one will lead to the extinction of others. If we don’t do anything it will be a matter of time before humans realize they are unable to survive on an empty environment.
By Prekshaa Veeraragavan
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REFERENCES:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/02/mangroves/warne-text#
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/habitats/Mangrove
http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Library/Plants/Red-Mangrove.aspx
http://cmbc.ucsd.edu/content/1/docs/alongi%202002.pdf
http://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/im1406
http://www.uaeinteract.com/docs/Experts_call_to_protect_mangroves/2327.htm
http://www.mangroves.godrej.com/WhatcanIdotosaveMangroves.htm
