Marine Environment: Values of Mangroves

Introduction

Mangroves are plants that live along the coastline, between fresh and seawater, and often around estuaries. They are among the most complex and productive ecosystems in the world, and have amazing evolutionary adaptations which allow them to not only survive but thrive in an environment where no other species could. They provide a habitat for countless animals, all contributing to the ecosystem.

The topics that will be discussed are the environmental, economical and social values of mangroves, and how they are beneficial to us. Afterwards, the ways in which humans detrimentally impact these ecosystems will be analysed. Stakeholders of the mangrove and how they will be impacted by the destruction of the mangrove will also be an issue. An Environmental Management Strategy will be discussed afterwards, which will propose a plan to minimise the impact of a disaster of mangroves in Australia.

Values of Mangroves

Environmental values

Mangrove ecosystems are an integral part of maintaining a healthy marine environment. One of the key roles they play in maintaining the shore is that they are extremely resilient to natural hazards along the coast. Mangroves essentially act as a barrier in order to shield the coastline from extreme weather events, such as storms, hurricanes, floods or tsunamis. They act like a sponge in that they absorb and distribute the tidal surges that are associated with these occurrences. In fact, a mangal of 30 tree p/hectare with a depth of 100m can reduce the damage of a tsunami by 90% (Wetlands International, 2014).

Mangroves also excel at storing carbon- the gas that is the main contributor to global warming. They are among the most carbon-rich ecosystems in the world, so the destruction of thes...

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... destruction of mangroves would disrupt this aspect of the country's income.

Indigenous residents

Many indigenous populations all over the world have heavy cultural ties with the mangroves, especially if they live along the coasts. The most notable would the Australian Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, who rely on these ecosystems in order to gather food and resources, as well as have a livelihood. The Indigenous people had lived sustainably with the mangroves, harvesting them for food and resources, for tens of thousands of years with little to no impact on them. However, with the modern destruction of these environments, their cultural significance would diminish along with the history, and ancient ways. The majority of the coastal land belongs to the Indigenous communities, and their destruction would be the demise of their property, and a major crime.