Mangrove forests face massive carbon emissions due to human development

A new study has warned that the world’s mangrove forests could release a huge amount of carbon emissions by the end of the century due to human development and population growth. The study, published in Environmental Research Letters, found that the annual rate of carbon emissions from the degradation of mangrove carbon stocks is projected to increase by 50,000 per cent by 2100.

Coastal mangroves store carbon efficiently

Mangrove forests are coastal ecosystems that store large amounts of carbon, especially in their soils. They cover only about 0.1 per cent of the land surface but play an important role in providing habitat for wildlife and regulating global climate stability. Mangrove soils typically contain three to four times the mass of carbon found in boreal, temperate or tropical forests.

However, the carbon reserves of these forests have declined over the past 20 years, as large areas of mangrove forest have been converted to agriculture, aquaculture and urban land. This has led to a decline of 158.4 million tonnes of mangrove carbon stocks worldwide, releasing the same level of carbon emissions as flying the entire US population from New York to London.

The study, led by Jennifer Crumins, professor of biology at Montclair State University, along with two PhD candidates, Shih-Chieh Chien and Charles Knoble, researched the relationship between human population density and soil carbon stocks in urban mangrove forests to determine their role in the global carbon budget.

The results show that when population density reaches 300 people per square kilometre, the carbon stored in mangrove soils near populated areas is estimated to be 37 per cent lower than in isolated mangrove forests. Additionally, the annual rate of carbon emissions from mangrove loss is currently estimated to be 7.0 teragrams, rising to 3,392 teragrams at increasing population density according to current projections at the end of the century.

Human impact hits South Asia's mangroves

The study also identified the regions where mangroves are particularly affected by human development, such as South India, South-Eastern China, Singapore and Eastern Australia. These regions have high population density and high rates of mangrove conversion and degradation.

Professor Crumins said: “This work underscores the importance of protecting existing mangroves, especially in areas with high population density. Mangrove forests are critical to the regulation of carbon sequestration, and we must protect them. The first step is to understand the impact of human populations and activities on mangrove forest carbon stocks.”

The study also highlighted the potential of mangrove conservation and restoration for mitigating climate change and enhancing biodiversity. The study suggested that reducing mangrove deforestation rates further would elevate the carbon benefit from climate change by 55 to 61 per cent, making the proposition of offsetting emissions through mangrove protection and restoration more attractive.

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