Physical processes limiting colonization of bare tidal flats by pioneer mangrove species have commonly been described but not yet quantified. Understanding thresholds to early seedling establishment is critical for successful restoration and management of mangrove forests. We determined how seedling establishment of Avicennia alba Bl. is affected by the combination of increasing hydrodynamic fo...

We used carbon stable isotopes to examine the influence of the size of saltmarsh patches on the trophic contribution of saltmarsh grass and mangroves to 2 species of resident crabs (Parasesarma erythrodactyla and Australoplax tridentata). Crabs were collected at different distances across the saltmarsh–mangrove interface at each of 10 saltmarshes of different sizes (0.01 to 8.10 ha) adjacent to...

In this review paper, we aim to describe the potential for, and the key challenges to, applying PES projects to mangroves. By adopting a "carbocentric approach," we show that mangrove forests are strong candidates for PES projects. They are particularly well suited to the generation of carbon credits because of their unrivaled potential as carbon sinks, their resistance and resilience to natura...

Ecosystem services are now strongly applied to mangrove forests, though they are not a new way of viewing mangrove-people interactions; the benefits provided by such habitats, and the negative interactions (ecosystem disservices) between mangroves and people have guided perceptions of mangroves for centuries. This study quantified the ecosystem services and disservices of mangroves as written b...

The fiddler crab Austruca occidentalis is a dominant species in mangrove forests along the East African coast. It enhances soil aeration and, through its engineering activities, makes otherwise-inaccessible food available for other marine organisms. Despite its importance, the habitat of A. occidentalis is threatened by human activities. Clearing the mangroves for salt farming and selective log...

Mangrove forests encompass a group of trees species that inhabit the intertidal zones, where soil is characterized by the high salinity and low availability of oxygen. The phyllosphere of these trees represent the habitat provided on the aboveground parts of plants, supporting in a global scale, a large and complex microbial community. The structure of phyllosphere communities reflects immigrat...

N estuarine and marine ecosystems—e.g., seagrass meadows, marshes, and mangrove forests— serve many important functions in coastal waters. Most notably, they have extremely high primary and secondary productivity and support a great abundance and diversity of fish and invertebrates. Because of their effects on the diversity and productivity of macrofauna, these estuarine and marine ecosystems a...

Mangroves are one of the most important coastal wetland ecosystems, and the compositions and distributions of mangrove species are essential for conservation and restoration efforts. Many studies have explored this topic using remote sensing images that were obtained by satellite-borne and airborne sensors, which are known to be efficient for monitoring the mangrove ecosystem. With improvements...

Mounting evidence indicates that spatial interactions are important in structuring coastal ecosystems. Until recently, however, most of this work has been focused on seemingly exceptional systems that are characterized by regular, self-organized patterns. In this review, we document that interactions that operate at long distances, beyond the direct neighborhood of individual organisms, are mor...

Introduction: Mangrove forests are highly productive ecosystems distributed along the tropical coast line. Nutrient biogeochemistry of mangroves are primarly driven by both allochthonous and autochthonous sources. Characterization of organic matter in coastal ecosystems enables to understand the biogeochemical transformation of organic matter and its influence on ecosystem productivity in respo...