New research identifies ‘triple trouble’ for mangrove coasts
The study found that mangrove forests, their large biodiversity and the coastal protection they provide are under pressure from three distinct threats—sea-level rise, lack of mud and squeezed habitats.
Massive coral reef taller than the Empire State Building found off Australian coast
During a 12-month exploration of the ocean around Australia, scientists last week discovered an enormous detached coral reef in the Great Barrier Reef — the first to be discovered in over 120 years.
The Great Barrier Reef Has Lost Half Its Corals
The Great Barrier Reef, one of the earth’s most precious habitats, lost half of its coral populations in the last quarter-century, a decline that researchers in Australia said would continue unless drastic action is taken to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Mangrove loss has fallen dramatically, but the forests are still in danger
According to satellite data, mangrove loss has fallen dramatically in the past two decades, with human-caused mangrove destruction declining even faster than loss from natural causes.
Mapping the Roots of Mangrove Loss
While the rate of losses has declined, the ecosystems are still threatened and are facing more environmental stress.
Nigeria: restoring mangrove forests in the Niger Delta
The mangrove forests of the Niger Delta in southern Nigeria will soon be restored. It is a commitment recently made by Nigeria’s Minister of State for the Environment Sharon Ikeazor.
Civil war didn’t hurt this Sri Lankan mangrove forest, but shrimp farming might
More than a decade after the end of the civil war, the ecology of the picturesque nature reserve on Vidattaltivu coastal belt in Sri Lanka’s north, is under threat: there are plans to set up a shrimp aquaculture park here, which environmentalists have blasted as “environmental suicide…”
Two vital buffers against climate change are just offshore
A new study finds that about 31 million people worldwide live in coastal regions that are “highly vulnerable” to future tropical storms and sea-level rise driven by climate change. In some of those regions, however, powerful defenses are located just offshore.
Cyclones can damage even distant reefs
Big and strong cyclones can harm coral reefs as far as 1000 kilometers away from their paths, new research shows. A new study sounds a warning about the way strong cyclone winds build extreme seas that affect coral reefs in Australia and around the world.