Priority areas for mixed-species mangrove restoration: the suitable species in the right sites

Abstract

The rapid mangrove loss and fragmentation observed in the past decades have catalyzed numerous efforts to restore mangroves globally, but nearly half of these efforts fail or underperform. Planting the wrong mangrove species on the wrong site, and overrelying on mangrove monocultures are the main mistakes. Here, we develop a methodological approach that combines a Geographic Information System-based suitability analysis and landscape connectivity analysis to identify suitable areas for species-specific and mixed-species mangrove restoration, and priority areas in terms of patch importance. We apply this approach to the Large Xiamen Bay in southeast China. Results from the case study emphasize the critical need of considering species-specific characteristics in mangrove restoration planning and the spatial heterogeneity of priority areas for mixed-species restoration. We find that mangrove restoration could indeed increase landscape connectivity of mangrove habitats. Larger patches would have more significant effects on habitat connectivity, and several small patches could be considered as stepping stones to promote landscape-level connectivity. The proposed approach has various implications for mangrove restoration efforts both at the study site and in other parts of the world.