Recovery status of mangroves along western coast of Aceh until 7 years after the 2004 Tsunami

Abstract

The recovery status of mangroves at west coast of Aceh until 7 years post the Indian Ocean tsunami (IOT) was examined. The field researches were conducted during January 2005 to December 2011 in more than 20 km (1) to record flora species that were resistant to the paroxysm of tsunami swells, and (2) to record and observe the appearance of several existing and new plant species caused by tsunami. The main result shows that (1) mangrove beaches may not recover at all to their original state because the topography has changed greatly and the hydrological and sediment condition differ from their previous conditions, (2) most of mangrove trees dead due to change in habitat environments, (3) some mangrove species in land subsidence coasts were found migrating landward through seed recruitment, naturally, (4) several species of mangroves appear to flourish in the natural stands with mother trees survived against tsunami, (5) new species, for example, Typha angustifolia greatly colonize along the intertidal areas, and (6) Acrostichum aureum (mangrove fern) population occupies an bare lands left by mangrove vegetation communities or abandoned brackish pond. Because mangroves provide bio-shields or natural belts, more lives can possibly be survived during the natural hazard, including tsunamis. Unluckily, due to high market of brackish pond products, severe damage to mangroves was not managed. Therefore, degraded mangroves must be restored and preserved very well in the future.