Mangroves as a nature-based solution: potential impacts of climate change and community-based mitigation measures for grey mangrove (Avicennia marina) along the Egyptian Red Sea coast

Microbial communities perform important roles in nutrient cycling, degradation of environmental pollutants, and support of various life forms on Earth. Mangroves live in very harsh environments, and if not for the existence of several microbial species in their ecosystems, they would not survive. The Egyptian Red Sea coast is dominated by two mangrove species, Avicennia marina and Rhizophora mucronata, which serve as breeding grounds for marine organisms and aid in carbon sequestration. Despite their ecological significance, comparative studies examining the physiochemical properties and heavy metal concentration of mangrove sediments of two dominant species along the Egyptian Red Sea coast (Hamata, Mangrove Bay, and Saffaga) and their relationship to microbial and functional diversity are scarce. Our findings revealed significant differences in sodium ions, potassium ions, organic carbon, and bulk density at 30-50cm depth across the locations. Heavy metal analysis revealed significantly lower concentrations of zinc and manganese and high concentrations of copper in sediment samples collected from Mangrove Bay at all sampling depths. Metagenomics analysis revealed that the dominant phyla across the three sites were Pseudomonadota, Bacillota, and Bacteroidota, along with Actenomycetota, and Chloroflexota, and unclassified bacteria. Within the phylum Bacillota, several major classes were identified, including Bacillota_A_368345, Bacillota_I, and Bacillota_C. Functional prediction revealed a higher abundance of microbes involved in energy metabolism and carbon cycle, whereas a lower abundance of microbes involved in sulfur and nitrogen cycles was noted across the sites. In conclusion, the identification of different microbial communities in sediments collected along the Egyptian Red Sea coastal areas suggests the role of different mangrove species and human activities in recruiting unique microbial species involved in promoting their survival under different environmental factors.

This work provides a comprehensive description of the Scleractinian family Merulinidae (Verrill, 1865) of the Red Sea at species level based on skeletal structure for helping in evaluating and estimation of actual species diversity, as well as predicting their response to environmental changes. The present study is a first attempt to describe and illustrate the coral species of the family Merulinidae in the Farasan Islands (Saudi Arabian Coast). Moreover, coral reef terraces are investigated around El Quseir‐Marsa Alam area on the Egyptian Red Sea Coast. Overall, 42 scleractinian coral species from the family Merulinidae (Verrill, 1865) have been identified. They belong to 14 genera: Dipsastraea, Favites, Echinopora, Goniastrea, Coelastrea, Paragoniastrea, Paramontastraea, Astrea, Cyphastrea, Erythrastrea, Merulina, Platygyra, Leptoria, and Hydnophora. About 37 species are recorded for the first time from the Farasan Islands and 26 species from El Quseir‐Marsa Alam area, among them three species are recognized as new records. Two species are added to coral communities of the Red Sea (Goniastrea favulus and Paragoniastrea deformis), and six species were added to the fossil record of the Red Sea. The terminology, systematic classification, and the criteria of identification for all studied coral taxa are generally updated according to recent results. The known age and all recorded stratigraphic range of these species are illustrated and discussed. From the results, most of the corals are still living in the present Red Sea except for three species: Favites micropentagonus, Goniastrea favulus, and Paragoniastrea deformis. All species are extended down to the Pleistocene and a few to the Pliocene and Miocene.

Climate change is affecting both natural and urban environments with serious consequences on their balance and ecosystems. The introduction of nature-based solutions (NBS) in cities can help to manage its effects, both in terms of mitigation and adaptation and in parallel, it can also support ecosystem service provision. In order to quantify the performances of NBS in terms of benefits for humans and climate change effect reduction, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can be used. This paper presents a literature review focused on the identification of KPIs for climate change adaptation and mitigation measures and on the possible role of NBS in this context. More in detail, the main steps of the review are the following: identification of the most common climate change drivers and relative effects, definition of a set of KPIs to measure performance in relation to the specific effects of climate change, identification of the relative Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Ecosystem Services (ES), and finally, identification of possible NBS for adaptation to and/or mitigation of climate change. The results highlight the potentiality of NBS both at the building and at the district and urban scale in managing the challenges posed by climate change, in particular in terms of adaptation. Furthermore, the review shows that KPIs are widely used in environmental assessment tools, and they can be a useful tool to measure NBS performances.

Nature‐based Solutions to tackle climate change and restore biodiversity

Safaga and Qusseir are two important harbours on the Egyptian Proper Red Sea coast. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first work to describe the sea level characteristics at these two ports. The study is based on hourly sea level records over 3 years (2012–2014). There are no missed data at Qusseir site, but Safaga dataset missed 25% of records (April–December 2014). The hourly water level ranged between 0.02 m and 1.70 m at Safaga and between 0.04 m and 1.03 m at Qusseir, with a mean sea level (MSL) of 0.56 m and 0.50 m at the two Harbours, respectively. The T_TIDE package was used to produce astronomical and residual elevations at the two Harbours. Results revealed that the two Harbours examine explicit semidiurnal tidal cycle, with a bit higher astronomical amplitudes in Safaga. Moreover, the two sites exhibit almost the same seasonal sea level trend with very slight differences. The monthly mean levels at the two Harbours are always below their averages except during the summer months. The principal features of the semidiurnal tides indicated a ratio of 1.3 and 1.5 between spring and neap ranges at Safaga and Qusseir, respectively. The most pronounced sea level range at Safaga Harbour was 0.50 m, while it was 0.60 m at Qusseir Harbour. The astronomical elevations fluctuated between − 0.55 m and + 0.71 m and between − 0.47 m and + 0.53 m in Safaga and Qusseir Harbours, respectively.

<p>The southern Europe has been recognized as a “hot spot” of ongoing climate change in Europe, being particularly vulnerable to natural disasters in the recent decade. Southern Europe suffers from frequent and disastrous floods, drought and wildfires which foster land degradation while certainly threatening ecosystems in a changing climate. Measures for ecosystem restoration and climate change mitigation are of utmost importance particularly for agricultural and forestry ecosystems. The urgent action to combat climate change impacts calls for measures e.g. by implementing nature-based solutions (NBS) in key sectors to achieve ecosystem restoration and land degradation neutrality, and thus assure relevant ecosystem services to society and human wellbeing. Various approaches can be used to apply NBS, in different fields but practical implementation of NBS needs participatory involvement, institutional and human resources capacity building, requiring local communities and vulnerable groups inclusion. Ecosystem restoration and climate change mitigation achieved by multiple functions of NBS also contribute to the implementation of UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals and Land Degradation Neutrality targets, and lead to enhanced development of circular economy. This research investigates NBS as an opportunity for ecosystem restoration in southern Europe, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of main obstacles and opportunities for the regional specific conditions.</p><p>Key words: ecosystem restoration, southern Europe, climate change, land degradation</p>

Twenty one samples from the roots and leaves of Avicenia marina and the associated sediments were collected from two mangrove swamps along the Egyptian Red Sea coast for studying the heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb and Cd) accumulation and distribution. The results showed that the sediment samples have high concentration of heavy metals especially, the essential metals like Fe, than those recorded in roots and leaves of mangrove plants. Multi-statistical analyses Pearson’s correlation coefficients, CF, Igeo, BCF and TF analyses are widely used to distinguish the correlations among metals and the sources of these elements. Strongly positive correlations were observed in mangrove sediments between Zn and each of Cu, Ni as well as between Cu, Ni, Cd and Fe, in both studied sites indicating a good proxy for terrigenous material. The recorded levels of Fe, Zn, Cu and Ni in mangrove sediments were higher than the Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba and Tanaznia sediments, while Pb and Cd were lower than those recorded from background continental crust and sediment quality guidelines (ERL). The EF values for heavy metals indicated weak enrichment and reflect the local mineralogy rather than contamination. In addition, the values of CF indicated that the mangrove sediments of studied samples are low contaminated with Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni and Pb, while Cd value indicateds moderately contamination. Therefore, the average values of Igeoin the two studied locations indicated unpolluted to moderately polluted sediments. The metal concentrations in these sites were either derived from similar sources of nearby Red Sea mountains or experienced analogous biogeochemical or accumulation processes. The obtained different correlations of heavy metals in the organs of mangrove plants may be attributed to the differences in the bioavailability of trace metals for the plants, the physicochemical properties of sediments or waters. BCFs and TFs values were basically less than one, except for TF of Ni and Pb as well as TF of Fe in two organs of mangrove at both studied sites, indicating that this mangrove species tend to restrict metal sediments-roots and roots-leaves transformations, guaranteeing the conduction of various important metabolic activities including photosynthesis in the above ground parts and confirmed that the Avicennia marina has the tendency to accumulate and translocate the heavy metals.

Phytoremediation of eight metals in mangrove forests was investigated by focusing on Avicennia marina at three locations along the Egyptian Red Sea coast. Average concentrations of metals in sediment followed the sequence Fe > Mn > Zn > Pb > Cr > Cu > Ni, while Cd was below the detection limit. Metal pollution index and enrichment factor indicated contamination of sediment by Pb, Cu, and Mn. Translocation factors from roots to seeds and leaves were highest for Cd and Mn, respectively, while bioaccumulation factors showed the highest absorptivity of Ni by roots to seeds and leaves organs. The variety in metals mobility and bioaccumilation may be attributed to the physicochemical properties of metals that affect their solubility and bioavailability. Multivariable analysis indicated the contribution of water and sediment characteristics to metal absorption. The study presents that the integrating approach of water, sediment, and plants may be a cornerstone for better recognizing the mangrove environment.

In the last decades, land-use changes and urbanization have enhanced flood risk in urban areas in most of the Italian territory and worldwide. In some cases, climate change is claimed as a factor possibly playing a not negligible role and it may additionally exacerbate the vulnerability of urban areas in the future, according to potential projected changes of rainfall characteristics. To efficiently protect cities and increase their resilience to climate change, nature-based solutions are proposed in several frameworks, including the national adaptation strategy to climate change and the UNESCO World Water Program. These solutions are expected to bring a wider spectrum of benefits, when compared to conventional technology-based solutions, involving some socio-economic aspects beyond the obvious ecological benefit. Thanks to their variety, they are also helpful in planning several distributed interventions instead of a few concentrated ones, which would require more space and are difficult to place in historical settlements. To cope with the increased projected flood risk in urban areas, several Italian regional governments approved laws and standards on so-called ‘hydraulic invariance’ requiring that new urban settlements maintain the outlet flow in the stormwater drainage system at the pre-urbanization value. This is actually in line with the national climate change adaptation strategy and gives a chance to implement also nature-based solutions. A review of case studies of structural and non-structural measures being implemented in Regione Lombardia, together with an assessment of actual trends of extreme rainfall at an hourly scale, is presented.

TikTok is a social media platform that has gained immense popularity worldwide due to its short-form videos. With its increasing user-base in Nigeria, TikTok can be an effective tool to promote public awareness and engagement in climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. However, there is limited research on the effectiveness of TikTok in promoting these measures in Nigeria. The objective of this library research study was to investigate the effectiveness of TikTok in promoting public awareness and engagement in climate change adaptation and mitigation measures in Nigeria. The study aimed to explore the various ways TikTok can be utilized to increase public engagement and inspire action towards climate change adaptation and mitigation measures in Nigeria, as well as identify the limitations and challenges associated with its use in Nigeria. Anchored on the Uses and Gratifications theory, the study employed a systematic review of literature published on TikTok videos related to climate change in Nigeria. The study's findings indicate that TikTok can be an effective tool in promoting public awareness and engagement in climate change adaptation and mitigation measures in Nigeria. TikTok can increase public engagement as it offers a visual and interactive medium of conveying information effectively. The study identified successful strategies for creating climate change-related content and specific features of TikTok that can be useful in promoting climate change awareness. However, the study also identified limitations associated with the use of TikTok in Nigeria, including limited access to the internet and smartphones, low levels of literacy, and lack of expertise in content creation. The study concludes that TikTok can be an effective tool in promoting public awareness and engagement in climate change adaptation and mitigation measures in Nigeria.

The article examines climate change mitigation in households. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the scientific literature, the primary measures to mitigate climate change and barriers are identified, emphasizing the involvement of all stakeholders. The main policy directions and measures to achieve climate goals in households are carefully examined based on a bibliographical and systematic analysis of the scientific literature. Based on the study, the main gaps in climate change mitigation in households are identified, emphasizing the necessary directions for future research. The main climate change mitigation policies and measures in the household sector of EU countries were systematized and evaluated.

The present study revised taxonomy and occurrence of the ghost crabs (genus Ocypode) and fiddler crabs (genus Uca), belonging to family Ocypodidae collected from different localities of the Egyptian Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea coasts. A total of six species were collected, comprised three species of ghost crabs, represented by Ocypode cordimanus, O. cursor, and O. saratan and three species of fiddler crabs, including Uca albimana, U. inversa, and U. tetragonon. With the exception of Ocypode cursor which was only recorded from the Mediterranean Sea, all other five species were collected from the Red Sea. All species of Ocypode construct permanent burrows in the supralittoral sandy shores, while Uca species live in permanent burrows in the upper intertidal zone of mud-flats and sandy mud areas around and within mangrove swamps only. The present results showed also that, the fiddler crab, Uca albimana, was recorded for the first time from South Sinai mangroves at Nabq (Gulf of Aqaba) and Ras Mohammed (northern Red Sea), increased ocypodid fauna at the most northern portions of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba. These results denote to the northward distribution of this species and recommend re-investigating all Uca species collected previously from South Sinai, particularly U. inversa, deposited in all National Museum of Natural History of the world. Notes on habitats, color, size and geographical distribution, in addition to keys for identification were also given.

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

In the Egyptian Red Sea coast, nutrient salts, major ions, and heavy metals ion concentrations were examined in mangroves and the results were compared to respective concentrations in a reference area. Water samples were collected during the four seasons of 2012 from three different mangrove regions, Safaga, Abo Gheson, and El Quseer, besides, a mangrove free region, Marsa Alam. A temporal variation in the chemical composition of seawater of the mangrove and reference regions was recorded. Phosphorous and nitrogen forms were measured and calculated. Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, Cd, and Pb ions were measured in water samples. Redfield nitrogen to phosphorous ratio explained the oligotrophic nature of the Red Sea. Ca and Mg ions besides total alkalinity showed negligible variations. The relatively greater concentration values of ammonium, 242.11 μg/l, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, 315.55 μg/l, and oxidizable organic matter, 0.4 mg-O2/l, may be caused by the impact of mangroves. Seawater contamination by heavy metals was assessed, using the metal index, in the mangrove regions which, compared to the reference region, were highly contaminated. Analysis of variance showed no significant variation among mangrove stations. Principal component analysis suggested that El Quseer and Safaga, mangrove regions, were contaminated by metal ions. Safaga possessed the highest concentration of Cd and Zn ions, while the highest concentrations of Mn, Cu, Ni, and Pb ions were observed at El Quseer. This may be attributed to industrial and shipping activities. It is concluded that the mangrove ecosystem along the Red Sea highly affects marine environment.

The present study provides an analysis the growth performance of mangrove forests (Avicennia marina and Rhizophora mucronata) and the concentrates on the environmental factors (soil) that affect on the mangroves along Egyptian-African Red Sea coast. The growth performance of R. mucronata was higher in association with A. marina than in pure stands. Moreover, A. marina trees growing in association with R. mucronata were taller than plants growing in pure community. Plants growing (size index) at high tide attained the highest values of growth attributes. In comparison, A. marina growth attributes differed between the three locations of the three tide levels. The highest values of the growth parameters were recorded for A. marina growing at the medium tide in pure stands. However, the growth values of A. marina growing in mixture with R. mucronata were higher at low tide than those at either high or medium tides. The total mean of Soil Bulk Density (SBD) of the A. marina (1.24 g cm³) was higher than that of the R. mucronata (1.16 g cm³) and mixed stands (1.12 g cm³). The results shows that both ordination techniques clearly indicated that electric conductivity, CaCO3, K+, Ca++, Cl-, Na+ and Mg++ were the most important parameters determining the current distribution of mangrove pattern in the Egyptian Red Sea coast. The results showed that there is a similarity between the soil samples in different of the study locations as whole area is a coastal. In the current study the variability of ecosystem structure and function is generally a product of interactions between its different components. In the extreme arid environmental conditions of arid lands these interactions are of high significance, so that slight irregularities in one component of the ecosystem are likely to lead to substantial variations in others, so creating distinct micro habitats.