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In a press release published on the Eureka Alert website, US Forest Service ecologists and other researchers conducted groundbreaking research showing that planted mangroves can store up to 70% of the carbon stock found in intact mangroves after just 20 years.
Scientists have long recognized the remarkable ability of mangroves to absorb and store carbon. On the other hand, little information was available on how long planted mangroves take to reach levels of carbon storage comparable to those of intact mangroves.
Led by Carine Bourgeois of the Forest Service’s Office of International Programs, MacKenzie and Sharma collaborated with a multinational group of mangrove researchers.
Global mangrove restoration efforts may be greatly affected by these findings. Due to historical circumstances, human-induced land use changes, extreme weather and erosion, 35% of the world’s mangrove area has disappeared in the last 50 years.
Mangroves are being observed as part of ongoing research to assess their development.
The importance of protecting and restoring mangroves is becoming increasingly apparent on a global scale. These trees act as coastal barriers against storm surges and tsunamis, in addition to being powerful carbon storage powerhouses. They also serve as nurseries for various aquatic animals and habitats for a wide variety of species.
Mangrove plantings may not always be the best option for rehabilitation, warns MacKenzie. Mangrove plantations that are properly designed and managed can restore carbon stocks more successfully than degraded stands. But that doesn’t always mean that mangrove plants are the most effective restoration technique,” he said.
Planting mangroves cannot replace the protection of intact stands, the researchers stressed. According to our simulations, over 20 years, replanting in all highly renewable mangrove areas will absorb less than 1% of annual global emissions. For this reason, according to Bourgeois, it is essential to preserve the current mangroves.
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