Project Highlights

50% of the world's mangroves are gone
35% of mangroves have disappeared since the mid-1980s
30+ sites worldwide where Smithsonian monitors mangrove ecosystems
Working with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival (SSC) Mangrove Specialist Group, Smithsonian is sharing mangrove knowledge and developing conservation plans
Key findings show that changes in nutrient availability in coastal ecosystems can change the biodiversity of plants living there, which can diminish the ability of the ecosystem to store carbon and provide other critical services
By comparing data from more than 22 sites around the world, researchers are able to provide powerful hypotheses about how climate change is affecting mangroves and suggest ways to mitigate these effects and protect mangrove ecosystems
LOCATION(S): Belize | New Zealand | Panama | Australia
Topics: Ecosystems

Smithsonian science is laying the groundwork for mangrove conservation by documenting the critical services that mangroves provide and by examining how human activities are affecting the functioning of these ecosystems. These coastal forests provide vital services to humans and wildlife, but mangroves are threatened throughout the world and disappearing at an alarming rate. 

For more than two decades, Smithsonian Scientists have studying the effects of human development, industry, climate change, and aquaculture on these tropical coastal ecosystems. Through collaboration with international governments and other conservation organizations, Smithsonian research is working to ensure that mangroves continue to support diverse forms of coastal life in years to come.