Current status of Brazilian mangroves: Their ecosystem services, conservation, restoration, microbial diversity and biotechnologies.

The implications of land tenure and ownership regimes on sustainable mangrove management and conservation in two Ramsar sites in Ghana

Large conservation opportunities exist in >90% of tropic-subtropic coastal habitats adjacent to cities

Mangroves are an ecologically and economically valuable ecosystem that provides a range of ecological services, including habitat for a diverse range of plant and animal species, protection of coastlines from erosion and storms, carbon sequestration, and improvement of water quality. Despite their significant ecological role, in many areas, including in Vietnam, large scale losses have occurred, although restoration efforts have been underway. Understanding the scale of the loss and the efficacy of restoration requires high resolution temporal monitoring of mangrove cover on large scales. We have produced a time series of 10-m-resolution mangrove cover maps using the Multispectral Instrument on the Sentinel 2 satellites and with this tool measured the changes in mangrove distribution on the Vietnamese Southern Coast (VSC). We extracted the annual mangrove cover ranging from 2016 to 2023 using a deep learning model with a U-Net architecture based on 17 spectral indices. Additionally, a comparison of misclassification by the model with global products was conducted, indicating that the U-Net architecture demonstrated superior performance when compared to experiments including multispectral bands of Sentinel-2 and time-series of Sentinel-1 data, as shown by the highest performing spectral indices. The generated performance metrics, including overall accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score were above 90 % for entire years. Water indices were investigated as the most important variables for mangrove extraction. Our study revealed some misclassifications by global products such as World Cover and Global Mangrove Watch and highlighted the significance of our study for local analysis. While we did observe a loss of 34,778 ha (42.2 %) of mangrove area in the region, 47,688 ha (57.8 %) of new mangrove area appeared, resulting in a net gain of 12,910 ha (15.65 %) over the eight-year period of the study. The majority of new mangrove areas were concentrated in Ca Mau peninsulas and within estuaries undergoing recovery programs and natural recovery processes. Mangrove loss occurred in regions where industrial development, wind farm projects, reclaimed land, and shrimp pond expansion is occurring. Our study provides a theoretical framework as well as up-to-date data for mapping and monitoring mangrove cover change that can be readily applied at other sites.

Degradation and conservation of Brazilian mangroves, status and perspectives

Mangrove ecosystems are pivotal in biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, and coastal protection. However, they are severely threatened by deforestation, land conversion, pollution, and a lack of public awareness. Mangrove education has transformed conservation efforts by empowering communities with knowledge and skills for sustainable management. By integrating science with traditional wisdom, these programs have increased participation, fostered climate-resilient practices, and strengthened local policies. Education has shifted conservation from passive awareness to proactive, community-driven action, ensuring the long-term sustainability of Indonesia’s mangrove ecosystems. Here, we describe how mangrove education can transform coastal communities into sustainable mangrove conservation societies in Indonesia. Several case studies demonstrate diverse approaches that enhance knowledge, attitudes, and awareness regarding mangrove conservation. However, there are challenges that lie ahead, such as limited educator capacity, insufficient resources, and the need for long-term behavioral shifts. Capacity-building programs, the integration of mangrove content into school curricula, technology-driven and innovative teaching tools, and cross-sectoral collaboration are potential strategies to address these issues. This study highlights that education marks not only an enabling factor but also a foundation for sustaining ecosystems, climate change mitigation, and coastal communities’ empowerment. This review provides a pragmatic way forward for the conservation and restoration of Indonesia’s mangrove ecosystems by building on proven successes through the application of these educational strategies.

Among the several threats to the conservation of mangrove ecosystems in most South Asian countries, shrimp farming is predominant. Since the introduction of shrimp farming in Sri Lanka in the 1980s, mangroves on the island’s north‐western coast have been continually cleared to create new shrimp farms, leading to a decline in the social‐ecological services provided by the mangrove ecosystems. Using aerial (1973) and satellite (1996–2020) images, this study assessed areal changes in mangroves and shrimp farms in the Pambala‐Chilaw lagoon complex and Ihala Mahawewa, as well as the ecological footprint of shrimp farming in the study area. Mangroves around the Chilaw lagoon had decreased in areal extent by 45% from 1973 to 2020 of which 92% of this change was attributed to shrimp farming. There was, however, a decrease in the areal extent of shrimp farms from 2001 to 2020, and a corresponding increase in mangroves from 2006 to 2020. The ecological footprint of shrimp farming was assessed by comparing the expected surface ratios with those recorded for shrimp farms with mangroves and surface water bodies in the study area from 1973 to 2020. The results showed that the current shrimp farming was unsustainable (i.e. high ecological footprint). While the results support the current view that there is cause for cautious optimism with mangrove conservation (as evidenced by an increase in mangrove areal extent), it also reveals that semi‐intensive shrimp farming in Sri Lanka and probably other similar tropical countries is unsustainable. If immediate actions such as effective regulation of shrimp farming activities and mangrove restoration are not taken, the mangrove ecosystem will continue to decline.

Socio-ecological assessment for environmental planning in coastal fishery areas: A case study in Brazilian mangroves

Microbial activities and products have been employed in the service of Humankind since the dawn of civilization. Though microbial biotechnologies broadened in range over time, a quantum quantitative and qualitative increase was heralded in by the gene technology revolution in the 1970s. Over the current and coming decades, a further quantum increase will be catalysed by a combination of an acceleration in accessing new microbial diversity, particularly through intensified exploration of our biosphere, (meta)genomics approaches, new developments in instrumentation and miniaturization (e.g. micro-fluidics), analytical procedures, and increasing development and application of systems and synthetic biology, on one hand, and driven by commercial, medical and societal demands for new and improved products and processes, on the other. The vast range of unexplored microbial diversity, and the pervasiveness of microbial activities influencing biosphere functioning and human endeavours and well-being, have recently precipitated a major research expansion in environmental microbiology. Despite this intensification of effort, more than 90% of microbial diversity still remains to be discovered. It is this new biodiversity that will become the treasure chest of new and improved biotechnological developments and applications in the sectors of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, energy, mining, materials, agriculture, food, environmental protection, etc. As exploration of new microbial diversity will reveal novel underlying catalytic reactions, metabolic activities and products, many of the applications resulting from these discoveries will be highly original and innovative. Such applications merit publication in high profile journals. Currently, there exists only one high impact journal, Nature Biotechnology, which explicitly includes microbial biotechnology research, but this journal covers all types of biotechnological research (microbial, plant, animal), and has a small page budget, so is only able to accept a small fraction of top research papers in microbial biotechnology. All other journals focusing on microbial biotechnology are currently of modest impact. This means that there is not only a paucity of options for placing top work in top journals, but also that the field of microbial biotechnology has no dedicated high profile vehicle that provides leadership in setting high benchmarks of quality and originality, effectively disseminates top research, and stimulates and promotes the field. Microbial Biotechnology has been created to publish papers of original research reporting significant advances in any aspect of microbial applications. In selecting and publishing the best original, innovative research and enabling advances that may lead to new applications, it aims to rapidly become the high profile flagship of microbial biotechnology. To achieve this, it has appointed a sterling Editorial Board, composed of leaders in the various sectors of the field and associated fields, and a core of experienced and dedicated Editors who, together, will apply rigorous reviewing and quality selection to assure the highest quality, originality and actuality of the published material. A key selection criterion is that material considered for publication belongs to the upper 25% of research in the field. Much research in cutting edge microbial biotechnology is multidisciplinary in nature and, with new advances and creative exploratory science, the topics and component disciplines range over an ever-increasing spectrum of the life and non-life sciences. Thus an important feature of Microbial Biotechnology will be the inclusiveness of its scope, which will widen in response to all developments that can lead to significant new applications involving microbes or their activities or products. For this reason, the specified scope of the Journal is only a guideline and will expand to incorporate new advances. As part of its aim to promote the field, Microbial Biotechnology will feature both primary research papers and (mini)reviews, editorials and correspondence, as well as regular features, like ‘Web Alert’ and ‘Genomics Update’. Particularly topical themes will be the focus of Special Issues. As part of its aim to provide a greater focus for, and understanding of, microbial biotechnology and its societal benefits, and to achieve wider dissemination of the work it publishes, Reviewers and Editors will flag up research articles of particular interest to the general public and these will be the subject of press releases. Microbial Biotechnology joins the extremely successful stable of microbiology journals of Wiley-Blackwell. It benefits from the support of the Society for Applied Microbiology, which is one of the oldest learned societies dedicated to the promotion of applied microbiology, and a major global promoter of microbial biotechnology, and from the exceptional publishing experience of Wiley-Blackwell and its highly professional Production Office. So: enjoy reading this first issue of Microbial Biotechnology, anticipate the issues to come (free access for 2008!), and start to prepare your best material for submission for publication in a future issue!

Mangrove ecosystems play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of natural disasters on coastal regions worldwide. This comprehensive review paper synthesizes multidisciplinary studies to explore the contribution of mangroves in reducing the risk of catastrophes such as storm surges, tsunamis, hurricanes, and coastal erosion. By analysing the complex relationships between mangroves and natural disasters, we delve into factors such as species composition, forest structure, hydrological regimes, and coastal geomorphology. Additionally, we investigate the socioeconomic implications of mangrove conservation and restoration efforts, highlighting their potential to enhance resilience and sustainable development in coastal communities. The paper presents a detailed examination of wave characteristics, types, and attenuation mechanisms, focusing on how mangrove features such as prop roots, knee roots, and pneumatophores influence wave dissipation. We discuss various numerical and statistical models used to predict wave attenuation through mangroves, providing insights into their strengths and limitations. Furthermore, we explore global and India-specific mangrove cover status, important species, and conservation measures, including legal frameworks and initiatives by governmental and non-governmental organizations. Finally, the review underscores the urgency of conserving and restoring mangrove ecosystems to safeguard both human well-being and ecological integrity in the face of escalating climate-related threats. It advocates for evidence-based decision-making and policy development in disaster risk management and climate adaptation, emphasizing the pivotal role of mangroves as natural shields against natural calamities. Overall, this paper contributes to the understanding of mangrove-mediated hazard reduction and provides guidance for maximizing the resilience of coastal communities in an increasingly volatile world.

Role of shrimp farming in socio-economic elevation and professional satisfaction in coastal communities

Microbial diversity and keystone species drive soil nutrient cycling and multifunctionality following mangrove restoration

Mangrove ecosystems provide numerous benefits, including carbon storage, coastal protection and food for marine organisms. However, mapping and monitoring of mangrove status in some regions, such as the Red Sea area, has been hindered by a lack of data, accurate and precise maps and technical expertise. In this study, an advanced machine learning algorithm was proposed to produce an accurate and precise high-resolution land use map that includes mangroves in the Al Wajh Bank habitat in northeastern Saudi Arabia. To achieve this, high-resolution multispectral images were generated using an image fusion technique, and machine learning algorithms were applied, including artificial neural networks, random forests and support vector machine algorithms. The performance of the models was evaluated using various matrices, and changes in mangrove distribution and connectivity were assessed using the landscape fragmentation model and Getis-Ord statistics. The research gap that this study aims to address is the lack of accurate and precise mapping and assessment of mangrove status in the Red Sea area, particularly in data-scarce regions. Our study produced high-resolution mobile laser scanning (MLS) imagery of 15-m length for 2014 and 2022, and trained 5, 6 and 9 models for artificial neural networks, support vector machines and random forests (RF) to predict land use and land cover maps using 15-m and 30-m resolution MLS images. The best models were identified using error matrices, and it was found that RF outperformed other models. According to the 15-m resolution map of 2022 and the best models of RF, the mangrove cover in the Al Wajh Bank is 27.6 km2, which increased to 34.99 km2 in the case of the 30-m resolution image of 2022, and was 11.94 km2 in 2014, indicating a doubling of the mangrove area. Landscape structure analysis revealed an increase in small core and hotspot areas, which were converted into medium core and very large hotspot areas in 2014. New mangrove areas were identified in the form of patches, edges, potholes and coldspots. The connectivity model showed an increase in connectivity over time, promoting biodiversity. Our study contributes to the promotion of the protection, conservation and planting of mangroves in the Red Sea area.

A high-based information system using a remote sensing system through satellite imagery can be used as an alternative to mapping the distribution of mangroves by using satellite technology. This research was conducted in Pangandaran district, including 3 locations, e.g., Nusa Wiru, Bojong Salawe, and Karang Tirta Mangrove Forests. The purpose of this study was to analyze changes in mangrove forest distribution using remote sensing. The data used in this study are satellite image data from Landsat. The algorithm used is NDVI to find out the greenness of a mangrove species. Changes in the state of mangrove cover were observed in 2005-2007 and 2016-2018. Based on the analysis of mangrove cover, it was 14,723.5 ha in 2005, 13,426.5 ha in 2006, and 14,629 ha in 2007. In 2016, the mangrove cover was 23,079 ha, in 2017 it was 23,990.3 ha, and in 2018 it was 21,594.6 ha, respectively. From 2016 to 2017, there was an increase in the distribution of mangrove area by 911.3 ha. However, in 2018, the distribution of mangroves decreased by 2,395.7 ha due to land conversion. Keywords: Landsat; Mangrove; NDVI; Pangandaran

This study investigates the relationship between mangrove cover changes, shoreline dynamics, and urban development from 2014 to 2022 in a designated coastal area. Utilizing satellite imagery and GIS analysis, the research maps and quantifies shifts in mangrove distribution and shoreline erosion and accretion patterns. Additionally, changes in Land Surface Temperature (LST) are analyzed to understand their correlation with mangrove health and urbanization trends. Ground-truthing is conducted through strategically chosen sample points, some located within mangrove ecosystems and others along the urbanized shoreline, to assess environmental impacts accurately. The research reveals a notable increase in mangrove cover, rising from 4.9 km² to 12.9 km², highlighting the effectiveness of conservation efforts. In contrast, urban land expanded dramatically from 140 km² to 396 km², presenting significant environmental challenges. Analysis of LST showed a maximum decrease from 54°C in 2014 to 45°C in 2022, suggesting potential cooling effects linked to increased mangrove cover. Correlation analyses indicated a weak positive relationship between LST and the normalized difference built-up index (NDBI) and a negligible relationship with the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). These findings underscore the need for sustainable urban planning that prioritizes ecological integrity while accommodating rapid urban development. Further research is essential to explore these dynamics and inform effective environmental policies.

Mangrove forests and aquaculture in the Mekong river delta