Journal Article

The Loss of Species: Mangrove Extinction Risk and Geographic Areas of Global Concern

Yong, Jean Wan Hong, Ong, Jin Eong, Salmo, Severino G., Koedam, Nico E., Livingstone, Suzanne R., Moore, Gregg E., Farnsworth, Elizabeth J., Carpenter, Kent E., Collins, Lorna, Duke, Norman C., Primavera, Jurgenne H., Polidoro, Beth A., Kathiresan, Kandasamy, Ngoc Nam, Vien, Sanciangco, Jonnell C., Fernando, Edwino S., Ellison, Joanna C., Miyagi, Toyohiko, Ellison, Aaron M., Wang, Yamin, Sukardjo, Sukristijono

2010

Overview

Mangrove species are uniquely adapted to tropical and subtropical coasts, and although relatively low in number of species, mangrove forests provide at least US $1.6 billion each year in ecosystem services and support coastal livelihoods worldwide. Globally, mangrove areas are declining rapidly as they are cleared for coastal development and aquaculture and logged for timber and fuel production. Little is known about the effects of mangrove area loss on individual mangrove species and local or regional populations. To address this gap, species-specific information on global distribution, population status, life history traits, and major threats were compiled for each of the 70 known species of mangroves. Each species' probability of extinction was assessed under the Categories and Criteria of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Eleven of the 70 mangrove species (16%) are at elevated threat of extinction. Particular areas of geographical concern include the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Central America, where as many as 40% of mangroves species present are threatened with extinction. Across the globe, mangrove species found primarily in the high intertidal and upstream estuarine zones, which often have specific freshwater requirements and patchy distributions, are the most threatened because they are often the first cleared for development of aquaculture and agriculture. The loss of mangrove species will have devastating economic and environmental consequences for coastal communities, especially in those areas with low mangrove diversity and high mangrove area or species loss. Several species at high risk of extinction may disappear well before the next decade if existing protective measures are not enforced.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Agriculture / Agronomy / Aquaculture / Aquaculture development / Aquaculture industry / Avicennia marina / Biodiversity / Central America / Coastal development / Coastal ecosystems / Coasts / Ecology/Community Ecology and Biodiversity / Ecology/Conservation and Restoration Ecology / Ecology/Marine and Freshwater Ecology / Ecology/Plant-Environment Interactions / Ecosystem / Ecosystem services / Ecosystems / Endangered & extinct species / Endangered species / Endangered Species - economics / Endangered Species - statistics & numerical data / Endangered Species - trends / Estuaries / Estuarine environments / Extinction / Extinction (Biology) / Extinction, Biological / Fisheries / Forests / freshwater / Fuel production / Habitats / International marketing / Life history / littoral zone / livelihood / logging / mangrove forests / Mangrove swamps / Mangroves / Marine and Aquatic Sciences/Conservation Science / Marine ecosystems / Population / Population status / Probability / Rhizophoraceae / risk / Science education / Seafood / Species diversity / Species extinction / Studies / Sustainability / Threatened species / Timber / Trees - growth & development / Waterfront development / Wetlands / Wildlife conservation