State and rates of mangrove fragmentation

Mangroves deliver important ecosystem services; including the provision of critical habitat for many coastal organisms, long-term Carbon storage, shoreline stabilization and improving coastal water-quality. Effective provision... [ view full abstract ]

Mangroves deliver important ecosystem services; including the provision of critical habitat for many coastal organisms, long-term Carbon storage, shoreline stabilization and improving coastal water-quality. Effective provision of habitat to organisms (including economically important fished species) may be linked to the spatial arrangement of mangroves around coastlines. Habitat fragmentation is the process of changing the spatial arrangement of patches through breaking up large, contiguous patches into smaller, isolated patches. The spatial arrangement of mangrove patches influences the bird and fish assemblages which utilize these forests. Mangroves are threatened in many areas of the world, with some areas experiencing losses of 1% per year. As such, considering fragmentation in mangrove habitats is a critical area of research.

We utilized high resolution, annually replicated Landsat derived estimates of mangrove density to assess rates of mangrove fragmentation globally for 12 years. Results indicate that areas with high rates of mangrove loss have experienced substantial shifts in mangrove habitat arrangement. However, the spatial arrangement of patches has remained relatively stable in some areas with high loss rates. The effect of loss is related to the specific habitat degradation that has occurred (entire patch/local deforestation or patch fragmentation). Regions dominated by mangroves are buffered against shifts in patch arrangement. Indicating that areas with fewer mangroves are more likely to suffer the ecological consequences of mangrove fragmentation, and need to be managed with greater care. This study is an important step in recognizing the threat that habitat fragmentation poses to coastal systems.