Abstract
Time series of satellite sensor data have been used to quantify mangrove cover changes at regional and global levels. Although mangrove forests have been monitored using remote sensing techniques, the use of time series to quantify the regeneration of these forests still remains limited. In this study, we focus on the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve (MMFR) located in Peninsular Malaysia, which has been under silvicultural management since 1902 and provided the opportunity to investigate the use of Landsat annual time series (1988–2015) for (i) detecting clear-felling events that take place in the reserve as part of the local management, and (ii) tracing back and quantifying the early regeneration of mangrove forest patches after clear-felling. Clear-felling events were detected for each year using the Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI) derived from single date (cloud-free) or multi-date composites of Landsat sensor data. From this series, we found that the average period for the NDMI to recover to values observed prior to the clear-felling event between 1988 and 2015 was 5.9 ± 2.7 years. The maps created in this study can be used to guide the replantation strategies, the clear-felling planning, and the management and monitoring activities of the MMFR.
Highlights
Mangrove forests are woody plants found in the intertidal zones in tropical and subtropical latitudes [1,2]
Silviculture is one of the oldest reasons, among others, to pursue mangrove restoration projects [4,5]. Mangrove reserves such as the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve (MMFR) in Malaysia, Bintuni Bay Mangroves in West Papua, Indonesia, and the Sundarbans in Bangladesh are examples of mangrove forests that are under silvicultural management [8,9,10]
We focused on the MMFR located in Peninsular Malaysia, as this reserve is silviculturally managed and provides a unique opportunity to establish whether (i) time series of Landsat sensor data could be used to detect the clear-felling events that regularly take place in the reserve, and (ii) the Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI) annual time series could be used to trace back and quantify the early recovery of mangrove forest patches after a clear-felling event
Summary
Mangrove forests are woody plants found in the intertidal zones in tropical and subtropical latitudes [1,2]. Silviculture is one of the oldest reasons, among others, to pursue mangrove restoration projects [4,5] Mangrove reserves such as the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve (MMFR) in Malaysia, Bintuni Bay Mangroves in West Papua, Indonesia, and the Sundarbans in Bangladesh are examples of mangrove forests that are under silvicultural management [8,9,10]. In these cases of silvicultural management, restoration and reforestation of mangrove forests, it is essential to understand the conditions that favor mangrove propagule dispersal and establishment, mangrove growth and succession, and carbon sequestration
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