Palau’s taro fields and mangroves protect the coral reefs by trapping eroded fine sediment

Koshiba, Shirley; Besebes, Meked; Soaladaob, Kiblas; Isechal, Adelle L.; Victor, Steven; Golbuu, Yimnang

doi:10.1007/s11273-013-9288-4

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 9 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…They play an important role in coastal and reef protection (Alongi ; Koshiba et al. ) and provide indispensable nursery grounds for a plethora of species (Alongi , ). Additionally, recent studies identified mangroves to be among the most carbon‐rich ecosystems (Donato et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mangroves are the biogeochemical interface between land and sea and therefore provide a multitude of services for both environments. They play an important role in coastal and reef protection (Alongi 2008;Koshiba et al 2013) and provide indispensable nursery grounds for a plethora of species (Alongi 2002(Alongi , 2008. Additionally, recent studies identified mangroves to be among the most carbon-rich ecosystems Kauffman et al 2011;Murdiyarso et al 2015), acting as a powerful sink for atmospheric carbon due to their high primary production (Twilley et al 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Soil organic carbon stocks in estuarine and marine mangrove ecosystems are driven by nutrient colimitation of P and N

Weiß

Weiss

Boy

et al. 2016

Ecology and Evolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mangroves play an important role in carbon sequestration, but soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks differ between marine and estuarine mangroves, suggesting differing processes and drivers of SOC accumulation. Here, we compared undegraded and degraded marine and estuarine mangroves in a regional approach across the Indonesian archipelago for their SOC stocks and evaluated possible drivers imposed by nutrient limitations along the land‐to‐sea gradients. SOC stocks in natural marine mangroves (271–572 Mg ha−1 m−1) were much higher than under estuarine mangroves (100–315 Mg ha−1 m−1) with a further decrease caused by degradation to 80–132 Mg ha−1 m−1. Soils differed in C/N ratio (marine: 29–64; estuarine: 9–28), δ 15N (marine: −0.6 to 0.7‰; estuarine: 2.5 to 7.2‰), and plant‐available P (marine: 2.3–6.3 mg kg−1; estuarine: 0.16–1.8 mg kg−1). We found N and P supply of sea‐oriented mangroves primarily met by dominating symbiotic N2 fixation from air and P import from sea, while mangroves on the landward gradient increasingly covered their demand in N and P from allochthonous sources and SOM recycling. Pioneer plants favored by degradation further increased nutrient recycling from soil resulting in smaller SOC stocks in the topsoil. These processes explained the differences in SOC stocks along the land‐to‐sea gradient in each mangrove type as well as the SOC stock differences observed between estuarine and marine mangrove ecosystems. This first large‐scale evaluation of drivers of SOC stocks under mangroves thus suggests a continuum in mangrove functioning across scales and ecotypes and additionally provides viable proxies for carbon stock estimations in PES or REDD schemes.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil organic carbon stocks in estuarine and marine mangrove ecosystems are driven by nutrient colimitation of P and N

Weiß

Weiss

Boy

et al. 2016

Ecology and Evolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Agriculture, urbanization, and other human uses are not inherently destructive, as demonstrated by several studies on sustainable farming and harvesting (Koshiba et al, 2013;Yamano and Watanabe, 2016;Winter et al, 2018). Future research may look to disciplines such as sustainable development, agribusiness, urban planning, and the social sciences for tools to mitigate land-use impacts on environmental outcomes-e.g., Low Impact Development and ecosystems services models.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Freshwater regulation Holt et al, 1996;Quinn, 2000;Böhlke, 2002;Strayer et al, 2003;Allan, 2004;Ash et al, 2011;Koshiba et al, 2013;Bartley et al, 2014;Owuor et al, 2016;Smith et al, 2018 "Patchy" grazing or cropland leads to alluvial gullies and scalding, increasing freshwater flows.…”

Section: Surfacementioning

confidence: 99%

Land Use Impacts on Coral Reef Health: A Ridge-to-Reef Perspective

2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Over 60% of the world's reefs experience damage from local activities such as overfishing, coastal development, and watershed pollution. Land-based sources of pollution are a critical threat to coral reefs, and understanding "ridge-to-reef" changes is urgently needed to improve management and coral survival in the Anthropocene. We review existing literature on spatial-ecological connections between land use and coral health, specifically examining vegetative, agricultural, urban, and other land-use types. In general, forested land use is positively related to metrics of coral condition, while anthropogenic land uses like urban development and agriculture drive a decline in coral cover, diversity, colony size, and structural complexity. However, land-use and land-cover impacts vary across time and space, and small portions of the landscape (e.g., discrete segments of unpaved roads, grazed and scalded hillsides) may have an outsized effect on reef pollution, presenting opportunities for targeted conservation. Some coral species show resilience under land-use and land-cover change, and the impact of land use on coral recovery from bleaching remains an active area of research. Finally, a spatial bibliography of existing literature reveals that most ridge-to-reef studies focus on a handful of regional hotspots, surface water, and watershed-scale dynamics; more research is needed to address groundwater connectivity and to compare land-use impacts across multiple regions and scales. Approaches from landscape ecology that assess spatial patterns of, and synergies between, interlocking land cover may assist conservation managers in designing more resilient reefscapes.

show abstract

“…Case studies and modelling show how near-shore turbidity levels, distribution of fine sediments and sedimentation rates may change following mangrove removal [44][45][46]. Sediment trapping by mangroves can help protect sensitive coral sites from soil runoff [47], and similar effects are likely for seagrass; indeed, the enhanced sedimentation that destroyed the seagrass beds in Sabah [41] was caused by removal of forests, including neighbouring mangroves. Hence, landward blue carbon habitats are likely to protect seagrass from excessive sediment and turbidity at multiple sites, contributing to on-going carbon sequestration and storage within those seagrass beds by maintaining the conditions under which they can flourish.…”

Section: Sediment Transportmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon in the Coastal Seascape: How Interactions Between Mangrove Forests, Seagrass Meadows and Tidal Marshes Influence Carbon Storage

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose of Review We use the 'seascape' concept to explore how interactions between mangrove forests, tidal marshes and seagrass influence the storage of carbon in these ecosystems. Mangrove forests, with the other two 'blue carbon' habitats, are exceptionally powerful carbon sinks. Maintaining and enhancing these sinks is an emerging priority in climate change mitigation. However, managing any one ecosystem on its own risks is ignoring important contextual drivers of carbon storage emerging from its place in the seascape. We consider how interactions between these coastal habitats directly or indirectly affect the amounts of carbon they can store. Recent Findings The export of carbon from seagrasses may occur over hundreds or thousands of kilometres, much further than reported for mangroves or tidal marshes. Seagrasses may buffer mangroves from wave impacts, assisting forest regeneration. Trophic cascades supported by contiguous blue carbon habitat may limit excessive herbivory and bioturbation in them but evidence is limited. Summary Direct transfers of carbon between blue carbon habitats are common and are likely to enhance total carbon storage, but our understanding of their contribution to carbon stocks at the seascape level is elementary. There is evidence for indirect enhancement of carbon storage at the seascape by close association of habitats, mostly through the creation and maintenance of propitious conditions by one ecosystem for another. Protection from waves of mangroves by seagrass and protection from excess nutrients and sediment of seagrass by mangroves and tidal marsh are key mechanisms. There is little evidence or theory suggesting negative effects on carbon storage of one blue carbon habitat on another. Keywords Mangrove. Seagrass. Tidal marsh. Carbon. Seascape. Sequestration 'When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe' (John Muir) My first summer in the Sierra,

show abstract

Palau’s taro fields and mangroves protect the coral reefs by trapping eroded fine sediment

Cited by 14 publications

References 9 publications

Soil organic carbon stocks in estuarine and marine mangrove ecosystems are driven by nutrient colimitation of P and N

Soil organic carbon stocks in estuarine and marine mangrove ecosystems are driven by nutrient colimitation of P and N

Land Use Impacts on Coral Reef Health: A Ridge-to-Reef Perspective

Carbon in the Coastal Seascape: How Interactions Between Mangrove Forests, Seagrass Meadows and Tidal Marshes Influence Carbon Storage

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About