MANGROVE FORESTS: PROTECTION AGAINST AND RESILIENCE TO COASTAL DISTURBANCES

This review paper discusses the role of mangroves in coastal protection and provision of ecological services as well as their vulnerability and resilience to coastal disturbances such as tsunamis, hurricanes and sea level rise. Mangroves have been observed in field studies, laboratory experiments and numerical simulations to offer some degree of protection from tsunamis and hurricanes. The magnitude of energy reduction strongly depends on three major factors, namely mangrove structures, topography-bathymetric features and wave characteristics. Mangroves are vulnerable and resilient to a variety of coastal disturbances, both natural and anthropogenic. Their vulnerability and resilience depend on the intensity, duration and frequency of the disturbances. Tsunamis and hurricanes are infrequent disturbances of high intensity and short duration. Sea-level rise and mangrove deforestation, on the other hand, are chronic events that evolve gradually over a longer period. A relentless government-community campaign is needed to cultivate awareness and education regarding the vulnerability of mangroves and their invaluable ecological services. Both soft and hard approaches are needed to reduce the adverse impacts of coastal disturbances on humans and mangroves.