Adapting to Pacific Island mangrove responses to sea level rise and climate change

Abstract

Stresses associated with effects of climate change, including rise in relative mean sea level, present one set of threats to mangroves. Coastal development and ecosystems in the Pacific Islands region are particularly vulnerable to climate change effects. We investigated the capacity of Pacific Island countries and territories to assess mangrove vulnerability to the effects of climate change, and their capacity to adapt to mangrove responses to these forces. Technical and institutional capacity-building priorities include: (1) strengthening management frameworks to conduct site-specific assessment of mangrove vulnerability and incorporate resulting information into land-use plans to prepare for any landward mangrove migration and offsetting anticipated losses; (2) reducing and eliminating stresses on and rehabilitating mangroves, in part, to increase mangrove resilience to climate change effects; and (3) augmenting abilities to establish mangrove baselines, and monitor gradual changes using standardized techniques through a regional network to distinguish local and climate change effects on mangroves. Other priorities are to: (4) assess how mangrove margins have changed over recent decades; (5) determine projections of trends in mean relative sea level and trends in the frequency and elevation of extreme high water events; (6) measure trends in changes in elevations of mangrove surfaces; and (7) incorporate this information into land-use planning processes. Also in (8) some locations require spatial imagery showing topography and locations of mangroves and coastal development. Land-use planners can use information from assessments predicting shoreline responses to projected sea level rise and other climate change effects to reduce risks to coastal development, human safety, and coastal ecosystems. This advanced planning enables coastal managers to minimize social disruption and cost, minimize losses of valued coastal ecosystems, and maximize available options.KEY WORDS: Mangrove · Sea level rise · Climate change · Land-use planning · Pacific Islands Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherClim Res 32: [161][162][163][164][165][166][167][168][169][170][171][172][173][174][175][176] 2006 human safety (Titus 1991, Mullane & Suzuki 1997, Ellison 2004. Relative sea level rise is a major factor contributing to recent losses and projected future reductions in the area of valued coastal habitats, including mangroves and other tidal wetlands, with concomitant increased threat to human safety and shoreline development from coastal hazards (Gilman et al. in press). Global sea level rise is one of the more certain outcomes of global warming; 10 to 20 cm occurred during the last century, and several climate models project an accelerated rate of sea level rise over coming decades (Church et al. 2001, 2004a, Holgate & Woodworth 2004.Over the past few decades, the 10 countries and territories with native mangroves in the Pacific Islands region experienced an average rise in re...

Recent Change in the Extent of Mangroves in the Northern Gulf of Papua, Papua New Guinea

“…While mean sea level will probably be the most important factor influencing future distributions of mangroves, the result will vary dramatically depending on the local rate of sea-level rise and the availability of sediment to support the establishment of new mangroves (Field 1995). The greatest impact of sea-level rise on mangrove stands is likely to occur on coastlines of low relief with low sediment availability (Ellison 2000;Gilman et al 2006). It is feasible, however, for sediment accumulation rates to occur at rates that exceed local sea-level rise as has been documented near the Amazon River mouth (Allison et al 1995) and in regions of the Gulf of Papua .…”

Impactos Da Elevação Do Nível Médio Do Mar Sobre O Ecossistema Manguezal: A Contribuição Do Sensoriamento Remoto E Modelos Computacionais

“…Contudo, o ecossistema manguezal apresenta resiliência a este processo (GILMAN et al, 2006), sobretudo os manguezais localizados em locais submetidos a elevada variação de maré e que não possuam baixo relevo (MCLEOD e SALM, 2006) e também, a resposta do manguezal pode apresentar diferenças de um local para outro, como consequência de características locais e regionais onde o mesmo ocorra, tais como: padrões locais nas taxas da elevação do nível do mar e nos processos de sedimentação/erosão (ALONGI 2008;GILMAN et al, 2008), assim como, da altura de maré local, topografia do relevo e das formas de uso e ocupação do solo adjacentes ao manguezal (MCLEOD e SALM, 2006), fato que evidencia a complexidade inerente à temática.…”

“…Contudo, o padrão de resposta do manguezal à elevação do nível do mar é dependente das características geográficas, oceanográficas e ambientais, nas escalas local e regional (GILMAN et al, 2006), assim como, também, da capacidade adaptativa das espécies vegetais do manguezal (ESPINOSA e FLORES, 2011). Fato que indica a complexidade e a necessidade de haver pesquisa abordando à temática.…”

Long-Term Changes in Mangrove Landscape of the Niger River Delta, Nigeria

“…Beside pollution, Nypa palm (Nypa fruticans, Wurmb) invasion is a major threat to mangrove in the Niger Delta (CEDA, 1997). The occurrence of mangroves at the tip of the sea predisposes them to the impact of sea-level rise caused by climate change (Hewitt, 2004;Gilman et al, 2006). They are also subjected to other natural and anthropogenic disturbances and take a long time to recover (Burns et al, 1994).…”