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The acquisition of microbial symbionts enables animals to rapidly adapt to and exploit novel ecological niches, thus significantly enhancing the evolutionary fitness and success of their hosts. However, the dynamics of host–microbe interactions and their evolutionary implications remain largely underexplored in marine invertebrates. Crabs of the family Sesarmidae (Crustacea: Brachyura) are dominant inhabitants of mangrove forests and are considered keystone species there. Their rapid diversification, particularly after adopting a plant‐feeding lifestyle, is believed to have been facilitated by symbiotic gut microbes, enabling successful colonization of intertidal and terrestrial environments. To investigate the patterns and mechanisms shaping the microbial communities and the role of microbes in the evolution of Sesarmidae, we characterized and compared the gut microbiome compositions across 43 crab species from Sesarmidae and other mangrove‐associated families using 16S metabarcoding. We found that the gut microbiome assemblages in crabs are primarily determined by host identity, with a secondary influence from environmental factors such as microhabitat and sampling location, and to a lesser extent influenced by biological factors such as sex and gut region. While patterns of phylosymbiosis (i.e. when microbial community relationships recapitulate the phylogeny of their hosts) were consistently observed in all beta‐diversity metrics analysed, the strength of phylosymbiosis varied across crab families. This suggests that the bacterial assemblages in each family were differentially shaped by different degrees of host filtering and/or other evolutionary processes. Notably, Sesarmidae displayed signals of cophylogeny with its core gut bacterial genera, which likely play crucial functional roles in their hosts by providing lignocellulolytic enzymes, essential amino acids, and fatty acids supplementation. Our results support the hypothesis of microbial contribution to herbivory and terrestrialization in mangrove crabs, highlighting the tight association and codiversification of the crab holobiont. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is reshaping coastal wetlands worldwide, driving ecosystem shifts like mangrove poleward expansion into saltmarshes in tropical‐temperate transitional zones. Though warming is recognized as the primary driver, a lack of detailed field studies limits our ability to predict mangrove responses to rapid climate warming.Here, we characterized how mangroves vary across a temperature gradient at 18 sites along Florida's Gulf of Mexico coast (USA). We used minimum air temperature (Tmin) derived from daily data from 1989 to 2021 as the independent variable and applied plot‐based and synoptic approaches to quantify species‐specific mangrove variation at community, population, and individual levels. We then used these results to spatially project future mangrove ecosystem properties under multiple warming scenarios.Across the Tmin gradient from −10.8 to −1.4°C, mangrove canopy height and coverage ranged from 0.4 to 11.5 m and 15% to 98%, respectively, with both exhibiting sigmoidal increases with Tmin. Estimated mangrove aboveground biomass ranged from 0 to 496.7 Mg/ha and showed a positive linear relationship with Tmin due both to the tall tree stratum's increased biomass per tree and higher abundance.While the population abundance and coverage of Rhizophora mangle and Laguncularia racemosa had positive linear relationships with Tmin, Avicennia germinans exhibited a significant quadratic relationship, reflecting the higher freeze tolerance of this species. Such tolerance may stem from A. germinans' higher morphological plasticity observed at the individual level, adapting to cold stress by exhibiting a more shrub‐like architecture at colder sites.Based on these field‐derived quantitative relationships, we projected substantial increases in mangrove coverage and canopy height near current range limits, with tall A. germinans dominating in the north and R. mangle dominating the centre and south of the study region.Synthesis. To better predict the ecological consequences in coastal wetlands under future climate change, it is essential to understand how mangroves respond to winter temperature regimes across a temperature gradient. Collectively, these cross‐level and species‐specific results advance our understanding of mangrove temperature sensitivity and provide information about the future of coastal wetland structure and function in response to a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mangrove sediment microbes are increasingly attracting scientific attention due to their demonstrated capacity for diverse bioremediation activities, encompassing a wide range of environmental contaminants. Materials and methods: The microbial communities of five Avicennia marina mangrove sediment samples collected from Al Rayyis White Head, Red Sea (KSA), were characterized using Illumina amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes. Results: Our study investigated the microbial composition and potential for organohalide bioremediation in five mangrove sediments from the Red Sea. While Proteobacteria dominated four microbiomes, Bacteroidetes dominated the fifth. Given the environmental concerns surrounding organohalides, their bioremediation is crucial. Encouragingly, we identified phylogenetically diverse organohalide-respiring bacteria (OHRB) across all samples, including Dehalogenimonas, Dehalococcoides, Anaeromyxobacter, Desulfuromonas, Geobacter, Desulfomonile, Desulfovibrio, Shewanella and Desulfitobacterium. These bacteria are known for their ability to dechlorinate organohalides through reductive dehalogenation. PICRUSt analysis further supported this potential, predicting the presence of functional biomarkers for organohalide respiration (OHR), including reductive dehalogenases targeting tetrachloroethene (PCE) and 3-chloro-4-hydroxyphenylacetate in most sediments. Enrichment cultures studies confirmed this prediction, demonstrating PCE dechlorination by the resident microbial community. PICRUSt also revealed a dominance of anaerobic metabolic processes, suggesting the microbiome's adaptation to the oxygen-limited environment of the sediments. Conclusion: This study provided insights into the bacterial community composition of five mangrove sediments from the Red Sea. Notably, diverse OHRB were detected across all samples, which possess the metabolic potential for organohalide bioremediation through reductive dehalogenation pathways. Furthermore, PICRUSt analysis predicted the presence of functional biomarkers for OHR in most sediments, suggesting potential intrinsic OHR activity by the enclosed microbial community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mangrove ecosystem is an ecosystem that is around the edge of the coast and many organisms live in this ecosystem, one of them is crabs. The crabs that are often found are deposit crabs from the Ocypodidae and Sesarmidae families that act as balancers in the mangrove ecosystem. This study aimed to analyze species, diversity, evenness, and dominance in the mangrove vegetation area of Koto XI Tarusan District, West Sumatera, Indonesia. The method used is the descriptive method. The biodiversity of brachyuran crabs' families, Ocypodidae and Sesarmidae, was analyzed with the Shannon-Wiener index (H'). Four indices were calculated for crabs Ocypodidae and Sesarmidae: species identification, Shannon-wiener (H') diversity, evenness, and dominance indices. The results showed that there were six species of deposited crabs from the Ocypodidae and Sesarmidae families, namely Uca bellator, U. rosea, Perisesarma eumolpe, P. plicatum, Sarmatium germaimi, and Sesarma curoense. The most abundant species (Di) came from the family Sesarmidae. However, for all stations, diversity (H') has a value that is in the medium category, and evenness (E) is in the high category at each station. The dominance (D) obtained a value categorized as low at each observation station. The condition of environmental parameters in the mangrove vegetation area is included in the category of a good environment. It is still within normal limits for the crabs of the Ocypodidae and Sesarmidae families to live. Two substrate types are found in each observation path: muddy and sandy mud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical mangroves are known to support fish production, but natural variability in the link between mangrove habitats and fish populations undermines our ability to manage, conserve and restore this ecological relationship. This is largely due to undefined context‐dependence in the use of mangroves by fish. We collected a spatially extensive dataset of 494 mangrove fish assemblages using standardised Remote Underwater Video surveys of mangrove edge habitats from five environmentally heterogenous regions in the Indo‐Pacific. We used machine learning methods to define contextual limits of the use of mangroves by reportedly mangrove‐affiliated fish. We found that tidal range and proximity to coral reefs were the most important contextual predictors of the use of mangroves by most taxa. We established data‐driven threshold values for important contextual predictors of the use of mangroves by fish, offering new insights into the variable role played by tropical mangroves in supporting fish life histories. Where mangroves occur as part of reef seascapes in regions with limited tidal range (<1.5 m), they appear to serve an important juvenile habitat function for a wide spectrum of reef fish. In regions with substantially larger tidal ranges, mangroves appear to only support certain reef species with coastal life histories. Coastal and estuary fish were able to use mangroves in a wide variety of non‐reef contexts. We demonstrate that key thresholds in environmental context can govern the functional role of mangroves, with strong implications for the role of other habitats in coastal seascapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungi are among key actors in the biogeochemical processes occurring in mangrove ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the changes of fungal communities in selected mangrove species by exploring differences in diversity, structure and the degree of ecological rearrangement occurring within the rhizospheres of four mangrove species (Sonneratia alba, Rhizophora mucronata, Ceriops tagal and Avicennia marina) at Gazi Bay and Mida Creek in Kenya. Alpha diversity investigation revealed that there were no significant differences in species diversity between the same mangrove species in the different sites. Rather, significant differences were observed in fungal richness for some of the mangrove species. Chemical parameters of the mangrove sediment significantly correlated with fungal alpha diversity and inversely with richness. The fungal community structure was significantly differentiated by mangrove species, geographical location and chemical parameters. Taxonomic analysis revealed that 96% of the amplicon sequence variants belonged to the Phylum Ascomycota, followed by Basidiomycota (3%). Predictive FUNGuild and co-occurrence network analysis revealed that the fungal communities in Gazi Bay were metabolically more diverse compared to those of Mida Creek. Overall, our results demonstrate that anthropogenic activities influenced fungal richness, community assembly and their potential ecological functions in the mangrove ecosystems investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pemphis acidula is a wild plant in rocky or sandy coastal areas and mangrove ecosystems. Different geographic characteristics may affect plant adaptability and have an impact on the emergence of various genotypes. This study was performed to reveal the phenetic relationship and genetic variation of P. acidula in 3 different areas in Tomini Bay, Gorontalo Province, Indonesia. We took 3 samples from each location and analysed them using 14 morphological characters and molecular approaches based on ISSR markers and ITS gene. The results showed that P. acidula on Olele had bigger sizes in some morphological features compared to the plants in other study areas. The phenetic analysis showed that P. acidula at Biluhu and Dulanga were more closely related, although P. acidula at the 3 locations had 100% similarity. Genetic variation analysis showed the highest genetic similarity based on ISSR markers was found in Dulanga and Biluhu samples (76.8%). Phylogenetic based on ITS gene revealed that Olele samples were in the same clade with P. acidula accession from GenBank (genetic distance 0-0.19%), while Biluhu samples were a sister group (genetic distance 24.97-25.03%) even though their percentage identity corresponds to P. acidula (81.34%). Plant adaptation to different habitat conditions may affect the genetic diversity of P. acidula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel fungus species, Nemania hydei, isolated from Avicennia marina in Pranburi District, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand is described. The samples were collected from mangrove habitats, and the fungus was isolated and characterised. Nemania species produce carbonaceous, superficial stromata that are multi-peritheciate with papillate ostioles. They are frequently isolated from decomposing angiospermous wood and are primarily considered saprophytic, although some are endophytic, while a few are pathogenic. DNA extraction was performed on pure cultures, and the ITS, LSU, RPB-2, and TUB sequence data were amplified. Molecular phylogenetic investigation revealed that the isolate formed a distinct and well-supported clade with Nemania viridis as a sister taxon. Morphological observations further demonstrated unique characteristics that distinguish N. hydei from its closest taxonomic relative. Primarily, they differ in the shape and size of ascospores, asci, and the characteristic reaction of the apical ring. Despite the existence of over 70 known species within the genus Nemania, only four species have been previously documented from mangrove ecosystems. The discovery of N. hydei contributes to knowledge of species from mangroves, expanding our understanding of the diversity within Nemania in marine habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mangrove ecosystem is crucial for addressing climate change and supporting marine life. To preserve this ecosystem, understanding community awareness is essential. While latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) is commonly used for this, it has drawbacks such as high resource requirements and an inability to capture semantic nuances. We propose a technique using Sentence-BERT and K -Means Clustering for topic identification, addressing these drawbacks. Analyzing mangrove-related Twitter data in Indonesian from 1 September 2021 to 31 August 2022 revealed nine topics. The visualized tweet frequency indicates a growing public awareness of the mangrove ecosystem, showcasing collaborative efforts between the government and society. Our method proves effective and can be extended to other domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerial images obtained by drones are increasingly used for ecological research such as wildlife monitoring. Yet detectability issues resulting from animal activity or visibility are rarely considered, although these may lead to biased population size and trend estimates. In this study, we investigated detectability in a census of Malagasy pond heron Ardeola idae colonies on the island of Mayotte. We conducted repeated drone flights over breeding colonies in mangrove habitats during two breeding seasons. We then identified individuals and nests in the images and fitted closed capture-recapture models on nest-detection histories. We observed seasonal variation in the relative abundance of individuals, and intra-daily variation in the relative abundance of individuals—especially immature birds—affecting the availability of nests for detection. The detection probability of nests estimated by capture–recapture varied between 0.58 and 0.74 depending on flyover days and decreased 25% from early to late morning. A simulation showed that three flyovers are necessary to detect a 5–6% decline in colonies of 50 to 200 nests. These results indicate that the detectability of nests of forest-canopy breeding species from airborne imagery can vary over space and time; we recommend the use of capture-recapture methods to control for this bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the seascape, species migrate between ecosystems to complete their life cycles, and such ontogenetic migrations create functional connections between ecosystems. Nevertheless, the scarcity of information on patch distribution, species life history and ecology limits its application in Marine Protected Areas (MPA) management. We use a potential connectivity network approach to analyze how Haemulon flavolineatum might move through a complex and diverse seascape by simulating part of its life cycle migrations among three ecosystems (reef, mangrove, and seagrass) in the MPA of Bahía Portete-Kaurrele (BPK), Colombia. We used available ecosystem cover maps to conduct habitat fragmentation analyses and evaluate structural connectivity in BPK using eight indices that describe ecosystem patches and how they are related. With published information on the H. flavolineatum home range and its ontogenetic migration distances, we estimated the potential functional connectivity (CONNECT and migration distances) between ecosystems by building bipartite graphs. The benthic habitat configuration of the BPK could allow Haemulon flavolineatum to complete at least two stages of its life cycle (stage 5 mangroves to reefs being more likely than stage 4 seagrass to mangroves). Ontogenetic migrations is possible since, patches of different ecosystems were highly intermixed (76%) rather than grouped (58%); reefs showed higher values of structural indices (patch area, largest patch, shape complexity, functional links) than mangrove (shortest distance to the nearest neighbor) and seagrass (representativeness); and juveniles migrate from mangroves to reef patches along the bay, but they could be isolated by distance when moving from particular seagrass to mangrove patches. Our methodological approach, which integrates ecological information (evidence-based ranges of species migration distances between habitat patches) and the seascape (spatial configuration of habitat patches and fragmentation) is novel for a marine fish species with ontogenetic migration to search for the likelihood of completing its life cycle stages. We discuss the need for ecological information on French grunts and the need to validate future models and scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past 24 years, the Southwestern Indian Ocean (SWIO) region has lost about 4% of its mangroves due to unsustainable extraction, land clearance for agriculture and climate change impacts. Since this loss risks fragmenting mangrove fauna, this study analysed 179 D-loop sequences (329 base pairs) of Barred mudskipper (Periophthalmus argentilineatus) sampled from estuarine mangroves in the SWIO to test two hypotheses: (1) whether Barred mudskipper populations in the region display genetic connectivity along the fragmented mangroves and (2) whether these populations have experienced demographic declines in recent history. The populations showed low and insignificant indices of genetic differentiation (FST= -0.00068, p> 0.05; ΦST= 0.005, p> 0.05), and haplotypes from different localities did not cluster according to their geographical origins. Similarly, Bayesian phylogenetic analysis grouped all SWIO haplotypes into one cluster, suggesting the hypothesis of genetic interconnectedness could not be rejected. Furthermore, the populations showed high haplotype diversity (0.96 ± 0.007) combined with low nucleotide diversity (1.09 ± 0.61%). They also showed significant negative Tajima's D values (-1.71, p< 0.02) and a unimodal mismatch distribution, indicating the hypothesis of demographic expansion post a historical bottleneck could not be rejected. Nevertheless, the Bayesian skyline plot indicated an increase in population size post-bottleneck, suggesting an ongoing recovery. These findings indicate that, despite varying management approaches in the SWIO, Barred mudskipper populations exhibit genetic exchange that transcends geographical and administrative borders. This implies that their populations should be considered a single stock within the region. These findings underscore the need for coordinated management approaches among the SWIO countries. This is crucial because inconsistencies in conservation measures across borders could disrupt the population's interconnectedness, potentially impacting their genetic integrity and long-term survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the spatial and temporal distribution of different paleontological communities in the southern South China Sea (SCS) is fundamental to explore its paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental changes. In this study, foraminifera, pollen and diatoms from 100 surface sediment samples covering 40 000 km2 of sea floor in the southern SCS were comprehensively investigated in terms of their assemblage and distribution. The results showed the existence of abundant foraminifera and pollen in most of the samples, although diatom communities were relatively scarce. Foraminifera were dominated by G. sacculifer, G. menardii, G. ruber, while diatoms were characterized by T. simonsenii, T. nitzschioides and T. longissima, indicating a typical tropical marine environment. The pollen assemblages showed a better reflection of montane rainforest, tropical rainforest and mangrove. The spatial differences among foraminifera assemblages may indicate the effect of water depth and a warmer environment in the southeast part of the study area, while the spatial patterns of diatom and pollen assemblages imply the influence of coastal current. Our study also noted that the compositions of paleontological communities in the SCS can vary significantly in a short distance, and synthesized studies on multiple biological groups are needed to reconstruct the Quaternary climate and the oceanographic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangroves rehabilitated after deforestation by commercial exploitation must be monitored to confirm that key ecosystem functions are being restored. Brachyuran crabs are conspicuous mangrove macrofauna and were selected as potential indicators of ecosystem recovery. A deforested former mangrove charcoal concession area in Ranong was rehabilitated by planting Rhizophora (1994), Bruguiera and Ceriops (1995) seedlings in single-species blocks. A second area, deforested and heavily degraded by tin mining, was rehabilitated with R. mucronata in 1985. Crabs at these sites were compared with those in a mixed-species conservation forest. Timed collections were made in 1999, 2008 and 2019 to compare crab diversity and relative abundance between sites and years. Thirty-three brachyuran crab species were recorded. Fiddler crabs (Austruca triangularis, Tubuca rosea) and the signal crab, Metaplax elegans, were most abundant, followed by sesarmid crabs (15 species). Species composition differed significantly between sites but not between the four planted tree species blocks. We propose Metaplax elegans as an indicator of ecological development in low-lying/newly formed sediments; fiddler crabs as equivalent indicators in young mangrove plantations/open forest habitats; and a diverse sesarmid community to indicate ecological functioning in older plantations/dense forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish trophic niches reflect important ecological interactions and provide insight into the structure of mangrove food webs. Few studies have been conducted in mangrove fish predators to investigate interpopulation trophic niches and ontogenetic shifts. Using stable isotope analysis and two complementary approaches, the authors investigated trophic niche patterns within and between two ontogenetic groups (juveniles and sub‐adults) of a generalist predator (Acentrogobius viridipunctatus) in four mangroves with heterogeneous environmental conditions (e.g., tidal regimes, salinity fluctuations and mangrove tree community). The authors hypothesized that the trophic niche between populations would vary regionally and trophic position would increase consistently from juvenile to sub‐adult stages. The results revealed that both δ13C and δ15N values varied greatly across populations and between ontogenetic groups, and complex spatio‐ontogenetic variations were expressed by Layman's metrics. They also found some niche separation in space, which is most likely related to resource availability in spatially diverse ecosystems. In addition, trophic niche position increased consistently from juveniles to sub‐adults, indicating ontogenetic feeding shifts. The isotopic plasticity index and Fulton's condition index also showed significant spatial‐ontogenetic variation, which is consistent with optimal foraging theory. The findings highlight that trophic plasticity has a high adaptive value for mangrove fish predators in dynamic ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangrove‐fringed estuaries are intertidal ecosystems discharging significant amounts of dissolved organic matter (DOM) into coastal oceans. DOM in these ecosystems is derived from autochthonous production, fluvial input, and mangrove porewater outwelling; however, differentiating between these sources remains challenging. Our incomplete understanding of the biogeochemical factors controlling DOM dynamics and its relationship with nutrient and trace metal cycling still hinders the formulation of elemental budgets in coastal environments. Here, we relate the DOM composition in a mangrove‐fringed estuary in North Brazil (Amazonia) to the redox conditions at the formation sites. We combined molecular DOM analyses via ultrahigh‐resolution mass spectrometry (FT‐ICR‐MS) with parallel factor analysis of excitation–emission fluorescence matrices (EEM‐PARAFAC), nutrient and redox‐sensitive trace metal analyses. During low tide, the influx of oxygen‐depleted porewater carried terrigenous DOM, inorganic nutrients, and trace metals into the mangrove‐fringed creeks. Precipitation of metal(hydr)oxides and microbial turnover controlled nutrient and trace metal dynamics in the estuary. The highest inorganic nitrogen concentrations within the upper mangrove‐fringed estuary indicated outwelling from mangrove sediments as an essential source. Phosphate concentrations were highest within the lower mangrove‐fringed estuary, where available phosphate likely exceeded precipitation with iron(hydr)oxides. We tracked the DOM transport to the coastal ocean using a novel molecular index derived from sulfidic porewater (ISuP). Outwelling of recalcitrant DOM from mangrove habitats is relevant in the context of blue carbon storage. Therefore, applying our molecular proxy (ISuP), together with trace‐metal and optical DOM analyses, is a powerful approach for differentiating contributions of diverse DOM sources in highly complex coastal ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) are often contextualized as intrinsically derived or as providing important non-monetary benefits, which many argue are discounted, improperly categorized, disregarded, or inadequately converted into direct monetary values. Assessing and communicating CES benefits with nuance is even more difficult when considering different cultural values held within a community. Drawing on frameworks that center culture, equity, and power, we conducted a CES evaluation of mangrove ecosystems in Bocas del Toro (BDT), Panamá via semi-structured interviews with individuals from culturally diverse groups. Our study is one of the first to examine mangrove CES from the perspective of different stakeholder groups while also including dimensions of equity and power to better understand how they are understood and accessed differently by diverse users who interact with these ecosystems. Our results show that mental health benefits are multi-dimensional, experienced differently across stakeholder groups, and should be considered a dominant CES that deserves more dedicated attention. Findings also suggest that the loss of CES benefits in the context of ecosystem loss represents an important form of ecological grief. Finally, our findings support the ongoing calls for inclusion of local and Indigenous voices when designing, developing, and steering CES-based research to more adequately identify the needs of individual communities but also for our collective survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decapods occupy all aquatic, and terrestrial and semi‐terrestrial environments. According to their osmoregulatory capacity, they can be osmoconformers or osmoregulators (hypo or hyperegulators). The goal of this study is to gather data available in the literature for aquatic decapods and verify if the rare hyporegulatory capacity of decapods is associated with hyper‐regulatory capacity. The metric used to quantify osmoregulation was the osmotic capacity (OC), the gradient between external and internal (hemolymph) osmolalities. We employ phylogenetic comparative methods using 83 species of decapods to test the correlation between hyper OC and hypo OC, beyond the ancestral state for osmolality habitat, which was used to reconstruct the colonization route. Our analysis showed a phylogenetic signal for habitat osmolality, hyper OC and hypo OC, suggesting that hyper‐hyporegulators decapods occupy similar habitats and show similar hyper and hyporegulatory capacities. Our findings reveal that all hyper‐hyporegulators decapods (mainly shrimps and crabs) originated in estuarine waters. Hyper OC and hypo OC are correlated in decapods, suggesting correlated evolution. The analysis showed that species which inhabit environments with intense salinity variation such as estuaries, supratidal and mangrove habitats, all undergo selective pressure to acquire efficient hyper‐hyporegulatory mechanisms, aided by low permeabilities. Therefore, hyporegulation can be observed in any colonization route that passes through environments with extreme variations in salinity, such as estuaries or brackish water. Highlights: All hyper‐hyporegulators decapods originated in estuarine waters;The analysis showed correlation between hyper OC and hypo OC for decapods;Hyper‐hyporegulators shrimps and crabs occupy similar habitats and are also physiologically similar, showing similar hyper and hyporegulatory capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal Foot fishing (CFF), an undervalued fishery, is practiced by marginal communities in near-shore shallow ecosystems, such as lagoons, mangroves, estuaries, wetlands etc., with low investments and expenditures. Owing to its intrinsic methodological advantage as a nature-based enterprise, CFF provides major scope for the use of indigenous and traditional knowledge. The present investigation details the scope of CFF in India as a "feedback optimization mechanism" of coastal zone sustainability. Salient features and relevance of CFF for the targets of sustainable development goals #1 (no poverty), #2 (zero hunger), #5 (gender equality), #8 (decent work and economic growth), #12 (responsible consumption and production), as well as #14 (life below water) are illustrated. Optimization of operational CFF with motorized crafts is presented highlighting its link with India's developmental programmes like Aspirational Districts, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Circular economy initiatives, disaster management, climate change mitigation for the coastal fishing sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Belize Barrier Reef system (BBR) in the western Caribbean's Gulf of Honduras contains a large region of lagoon coral reef, seagrass and mangrove habitat. As the largest lagoon habitat within the Caribbean, this region experiences differing oceanographic and temperature conditions as compared to deeper offshore areas. The occurrence of several endemic species within the Gulf of Honduras area and inside the Belize lagoon supports the hypothesis that this area is a unique biogeographic region. Consequently, the ecological effects of temperature increase due to global climate change may have a long-term adverse impact on this region's unique marine species. This study reports an in situ temperature record over a ten-year period (2004–2014) collected from a coral reef offshore of Wee Wee Cay within the South Water Cay Marine Reserve of Belize. There was a steady increase in temperature during the decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new microcystin-producing mangrove cyanobacterium, Aliinostoc bakau sp. nov., was isolated from a tropical mangrove in Penang, Malaysia, and characterized using combined morphological and phylogenetic approaches. Cultures were established in liquid media of different salinities (0, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 ppt). Optimal growth observed at both 7 and 14 ppt was consistent with the origin of the strain from an estuarine mangrove environment. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene strongly indicated that the strain is a member of the genus Aliinostoc and is distinct from other currently sequenced species in the genus. The sequences and secondary structure of the 16S–23S ITS region D1–D1' and Box–B helices provided further confirmation that the new species is clearly distinct from previously described Aliinostoc species. Amplification of the mcyE gene fragment associated with the production of microcystin in A. bakau revealed that it is identical to that in other known microcystin-producing cyanobacteria. Analysis of the extracts obtained from this strain by HPLC-MS/MS confirmed the presence of microcystin variants (MC-LR and -YR) at concentrations of 0.60 μg/L and MC-RR at a concentration of 0.30 μg/L. This is the first record of microcystin production from Aliinostoc species in tropical mangrove habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity loss can have significant consequences for human well‐being, as it can affect multiple ecosystem properties and processes (MEPP) that drive ecosystem services. However, a comprehensive understanding of the link between environmental factors, biodiversity, and MEPP remains elusive, especially in mangrove ecosystems that millions of people along tropical coastlines worldwide depend upon. Here, we collated a comprehensive dataset on forest inventory, plant traits, and environmental factors across 93 plots in the Sundarbans Reserved Forests, Bangladesh. The functional composition (FC) of leaf area showed a stronger positive association with MEPP, being determined by total biomass and productivity of the mangroves, sediment organic carbon, and ammonium, phosphorus, and potassium contents of the sediment, than species richness (SR) or functional diversity (FD). Further, FC mediated a strong negative association of sediment salinity, and a positive association of SR, with MEPP. The similar but opposite total associations of SR and sediment salinity with MEPP suggest that species‐rich mangroves could offset the negative impacts of rising salinity on MEPP. When focusing on a single aspect of MEPP, both FD and FC mattered, with the FD of leaf area showing a strong association with mangrove productivity and sediment potassium content, while the FC of leaf litter nitrogen showed the strongest associations with sediment ammonium and phosphorus contents. Therefore, to sustain mangrove ecosystems as a reliable nature‐based solution for climate change mitigation, conservation and (re‐)establishment projects should prioritize regionally dominant species with high leaf area and nitrogen content, plus functionally different species to support the ecosystem processes and services provided by mangroves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangroves play a globally significant role in carbon capture and storage, known as blue carbon ecosystems. Yet, there are fundamental biogeochemical processes of mangrove blue carbon formation that are inadequately understood, such as the mechanisms by which mangrove afforestation regulates the microbial‐driven transfer of carbon from leaf to below‐ground blue carbon pool. In this study, we addressed this knowledge gap by investigating: (1) the mangrove leaf characteristics using state‐of‐the‐art FT‐ICR‐MS; (2) the microbial biomass and their transformation patterns of assimilated plant‐carbon; and (3) the degradation potentials of plant‐derived carbon in soils of an introduced (Sonneratia apetala) and a native mangrove (Kandelia obovata). We found that biogeochemical cycling took entirely different pathways for S. apetala and K. obovata. Blue carbon accumulation and the proportion of plant‐carbon for native mangroves were high, with microbes (dominated by K‐strategists) allocating the assimilated‐carbon to starch and sucrose metabolism. Conversely, microbes with S. apetala adopted an r‐strategy and increased protein‐ and nucleotide‐biosynthetic potentials. These divergent biogeochemical pathways were related to leaf characteristics, with S. apetala leaves characterized by lower molecular‐weight, C:N ratio, and lignin content than K. obovata. Moreover, anaerobic‐degradation potentials for lignin were high in old‐aged soils, but the overall degradation potentials of plant carbon were age‐independent, explaining that S. apetala age had no significant influences on the contribution of plant‐carbon to blue carbon. We propose that for introduced mangroves, newly fallen leaves release nutrient‐rich organic matter that favors growth of r‐strategists, which rapidly consume carbon to fuel growth, increasing the proportion of microbial‐carbon to blue carbon. In contrast, lignin‐rich native mangrove leaves shape K‐strategist‐dominated microbial communities, which grow slowly and store assimilated‐carbon in cells, ultimately promoting the contribution of plant‐carbon to the remarkable accumulation of blue carbon. Our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of microbial community responses during reforestation in mangrove ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unraveling the spatial distribution and the factors that modulate biodiversity can help us better understand community dynamics and ecosystem functioning. Here, we tested the hypothesis that taxonomic diversity (TD), functional diversity (FD), and phylogenetic diversity (PD) follow a latitudinal trend driven by environmental factors, and investigated the associations among these metrics in mangrove crabs (11 species in the Ocypodidae family) of the Southwestern Atlantic (7,000 km along the Brazilian coast). Based on occurrence data, species traits, and phylogenetic information, we calculated diversity indices (TD, FD and PD) for 3° grid cells (latitude/longitude, approx. 333 km edge length) along the coast of Brazil. We built models to investigate whether latitude and nine environmental factors influence taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic indices of mangrove crabs in the Southwestern Atlantic. We also investigated the correlation among diversity indices TD × FD × PD. We observed a congruence in the latitudinal patterns of TD, FD, and PD of mangrove crabs along the Southwestern Atlantic. Specifically, we observed that all indices have higher values at intermediate latitudes, which are congruent to habitat transition zones along the Southwestern Atlantic coast. Our results also showed that air temperature, chlorophyll, and nitrate concentration are the main environmental factors that influence taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity of mangrove crabs in this region. When analyzing the correlation between indices, our results suggest that targeting conservation efforts towards one specific diversity component can lead to preserving other types of diversity, at least considering our system and the set of species analyzed. This study highlights the usage of multiple metrics to unveil large-scale biodiversity patterns in one of the most abundant groups in mangrove forests, the crabs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangrove forests are found on coastlines in tropical and subtropical areas. The mangrove tree looks strange because its roots are partially above water, making it look like it is standing. Mangrove forests are coastal forests and critical habitats that act as nurseries and protect coasts from erosion. Determining the current status of sustainable management of mangroves is very important as a basis for planning future policies. The purpose of this study was to review the current status of mangroves and analyze the sustainability value of the mangrove ecosystem sustainability in the Biringkassi mangrove area, Pangkep district, Indonesia. This study is descriptive with a quantitative approach to conducting an inventory of mangrove ecosystems, including biophysical, social, economic and institutional data. Analysis of the sustainability of mangrove management The sustainability of the mangrove ecosystem was analyzed using the Rapid Assessment Fisheries (RAPFISH) software with the Multidimensional Scaling Method (MDS) method. The four aspects assessed were ecological, economic, social and institutional. The results of the sustainability analysis from the four dimensions showed that the ecological and institutional aspects have a moderate state of sustainability, but the economic and social aspects have a less sustainable state. Multidimensional analysis showed less sustainable management. Leverage analysis of 24 multidimensional attributes revealed eight highly influential attributes that can lead to change in management if not implemented correctly. Meanwhile, the analysis results should be maintained for properties that achieve low leverage so that the management value does not decrease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of water quality, specifically elevated phosphate and zinc content, on the diversity and functional properties of mangrove fungal endophytes in two distinct mangrove forests. Mangrove plant performance is directly related to the presence of fungal leaf endophytes as these fungi could enhance plant health, resilience, and adaptability under stressed environmental conditions. Two distinct mangrove forest sites, one non-disturbed (ND) and one disturbed by aquaculture practices (D), were assessed for differences in water quality parameters. We further analyzed the fungal endophyte diversity associated with the leaves of a target host mangrove, Rhizophora mucronata Lamk., with the aim to elucidate whether fungal diversity and functional traits are linked to disturbances brought about by aquaculture practices and to characterize functional traits of selected fungal isolates with respect to phosphate (PO4) and zinc (Zn) solubilization. Contrary to expectations, the disturbed site exhibited a higher fungal diversity, challenging assumptions about the relationship between contamination and fungal community dynamics. Water quality, as determined by nutrient and mineral levels, emerged as a crucial factor in shaping both microbial community compositions in the phyllosphere of mangroves. From both sites, we isolated 188 fungal endophytes, with the ND site hosting a higher number of isolates and a greater colonization rate. While taxonomic diversity marginally differed (ND: 28 species, D: 29 species), the Shannon (H' = 3.19) and FAI (FA = 20.86) indices revealed a statistically significant increase in species diversity for fungal endophytes in the disturbed mangrove site as compared to the non-disturbed area (H' = 3.10, FAI = 13.08). Our chosen mangrove fungal endophytes exhibited remarkable phosphate solubilization capabilities even at elevated concentrations, particularly those derived from the disturbed site. Despite their proficiency in solubilizing zinc across a wide range of concentrations, a significant impact on their mycelial growth was noted, underscoring a crucial aspect of their functional dynamics. Our findings revealed a nuanced trade-off between mycelial growth and enzymatic production in fungal endophytes from ostensibly less contaminated sites, highlighting the relationship between nutrient availability and microbial activities. These insights provide a foundation for understanding the impact of anthropogenic pressures, specifically nutrient pollution, on mangrove-associated fungal endophytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine the use of vertical stratification of mangrove vegetation by bird species in the mangrove ecosystem of Nusa Lembongan. The study was conducted at seven mangrove ecosystem sites, in April-July 2021. Observation of the number of birds in each vegetation strata was carried out using the point count method. The association of the use of vegetation strata by bird species was carried out by Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) statistical test. The results showed that total of 32 species are found in the mangrove ecosystem of Nusa Lembongan which belong to 26 families. There is a strong association between bird species and the vertical strata of vegetation. The species of birds associated with pure mangrove vegetation are; strata I, namely Amaurornis phoenicurus (Pennant,1769), Ardea purpurea Linnaeus, 1766, Sterna bergii M.H.K.Lichtenstein, 1823, Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758), and Pycnonotus aurigaster (Vieillot, 1818); strata II are Todiramphus chloris (Boddaert,1783), Todirhamphus sanctus (Vigors and Horsfield,1827), Alcedo coerulescens Vieillot,1818 and Butorides striata (Linnaeus,1758); strata III are Hypothymis azurea (Boddaert, 1783), Lanius schach Linnaeus,1758, Merops philippinus Linnaeus,1767, Nectarinia jugularis Linnaeus,1766 and Gerygone sulphurea Wallace, 1864; strata IV are Collocalia linchi Horsfield & F.Moore,1854, Oriolus chinensis Linnaeus, 1766, Hirundo tahitica Gmelin,1789 and Pycnonotus goiaver (Scopoli, 1786). The bird species associated with mixed mangrove and dryland vegetation are strata I, namely species Turnix suscitator (J.F.Gmelin,1789), Acridotheres javanicus Cabanis,1851, Anthreptes malacensis (Scopoli, 1786), Passer domesticus (Linnaeus,1758), Pycnonotus aurigaster (Vieillot,1818), Spilopelia chinensis (Scopoli,1786)and Geopelia striata (Linnaeus,1766); strata II, namely Alcedo coerulescens Vieillot,1818, Zosterops chloris Bonaparte, 1850, Todirhamphus sanctus (Vigors and Horsfield,1827) and Todiramphus chloris (Boddaert,1783); strata III, namely Anthreptes malacensis (Scopoli,1786), Cacomantis merulinus (Scopoli,1786), Hypothymis azurea (Boddaert,1783), Copsychus saularis (Linnaeus,1758), Nectarinia jugularis Linnaeus, 1766, Gerygone sulphurea Wallace,1864 and Merops philippinus Linnaeus, 1767; strata IV, namely Collocalia linchi Horsfield & F.Moore,1854, Hirundo tahitica Gmelin,1789 and Corvus sp. Factors influencing strata preference by birds are resources, both food and space, as well as the bioecological characteristics of the birds themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small island developing states (SIDS) display high biodiversity but are disproportionately vulnerable to climate change and economic and environmental shocks. In Mauritius, located east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, mangroves provide essential ecological services and support coastal communities' livelihoods, but are threatened by continuous degradation. While regulating and provisioning services of mangroves are well documented, our study elucidates some of the lesser-known cultural values attached to mangroves and the ways in which communities depend on them for their well-being. Using a multi-dimensional ecosystem services framework, we conducted an in-person survey between August and October 2021 in coastal villages in east-southeast Mauritius of 281 Mauritian households in middle- to low-income categories with livelihoods associated to fishing and/or tourism. We analysed the data through distribution analysis, multiple correspondence analysis, and logarithmic regression. Our results show that two-thirds of respondents depend on mangroves with low (37.2%) to medium and high (26.3%) dependencies for cultural services and as a support for food security and income generation. Socio-economic drivers and multiple crises play a direct and indirect role in mangrove dependency. Our results suggest that precarious households have higher levels of dependency and are consequently more vulnerable to mangrove degradation and socio-ecological changes. The impact of changes and socio-economic parameters are therefore essential dimensions for coastal management and biodiversity conservation policy design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangrove wetlands are hotspots of global biodiversity and blue carbon reserves in coastal wetlands, with unique ecological functions and significant socioeconomic value. Annual fine-scale monitoring of mangroves is crucial for evaluating national conservation programs and implementing sustainable mangrove management strategies. However, annual fine-scale mapping of mangroves over large areas using remote sensing remains a challenge due to spectral similarities with coastal vegetation, tidal periodic fluctuations, and the need for consistent and dependable samples across different years. In previous research, there has been a lack of strategies that simultaneously consider spatial, temporal, and methodological aspects of mangrove extraction. Therefore, based on an approach that considers mangrove habitat, tides, and a semantic segmentation approach, we propose a method for fine-scale mangrove mapping suitable for long time-series data. This is an optimized hybrid model that integrates spatial, temporal, and methodological considerations. The model uses five sensors (GF-1, GF-2, GF-6, ZY-301, ZY-302) to combine deep learning U-Net models with mangrove habitat information and algorithms during low-tide periods. This method produces a mangrove map with a spatial resolution of 2 m. We applied this algorithm to three typical mangrove regions in the Beibu Gulf of Guangxi Province. The results showed the following: (1) The model scored above 0.9 in terms of its F1-score in all three study areas at the time of training, with an average accuracy of 92.54% for mangrove extraction. (2) The average overall accuracy (OA) for the extraction of mangrove distribution in three typical areas in the Beibu Gulf was 93.29%. When comparing the validation of different regions and years, the overall OA accuracy exceeded 89.84% and the Kappa coefficient exceeded 0.74. (3) The model results are reliable for extracting sparse and slow-growing young mangroves and narrow mangrove belts along roadsides. In some areas where tidal flooding occurs, the existing dataset underestimates mangrove extraction to a certain extent. The fine-scale mangrove extraction method provides a foundation for the implementation of fine-scale management of mangrove ecosystems, support for species diversity conservation, blue carbon recovery, and sustainable development goals related to coastal development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aratus pisonii (Mangrove Tree Crab), an arboreal crab local to neotropical mangrove forests, has increasingly been observed in salt marshes north of its historically documented range. Vertical structures, like docks and break walls, are known to serve as habitat alternatives to mangrove trees, and may therefore facilitate the spread of Mangrove Tree Crabs in suboptimal salt marsh habitat. However, the role intertidal woody habitat plays in assisting the spread of this species has not been investigated. A survey of built and woody habitats on Sapelo Island, GA, revealed multiple Mangrove Tree Crab year classes at built sites, but near total absence in woody habitats. This study also offers the northernmost evidence for reproduction for this species, and it presents the first evidence of a Mangrove Tree Crab in woody habitat north of the mangrove range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangrove forests have ecological, economic, research, educational and ecotourism functions. The decline in mangrove forest land has resulted in an increase in carbon in Indonesia and the loss of habitat for various types of marine biota and natural resources. Therefore, mangrove ecotourism is one way that can have a positive impact on protecting and preserving the environment and can improve the economy of the surrounding community. One of the potentials for mangrove ecotourism that can be developed is located at KSS Beach, Tangerang Regency. This research uses qualitative research by conducting observations, interviews and distributing questionnaires to the public and visitors at KSS beach. KSS Beach fulfills four elements in ecotourism, namely the element of education, the element of understanding, the element of conservation of natural resources and the element of increasing local community income, namely having mangrove forest exploration activities, mangrove education and mangrove planting. KSS Beach has three types of mangroves, namely Avicenniaceae, Rhizophoraceae, and Sonneratiaceae which can be a processed mangrove product that has sales value among the community. Therefore, KSS Beach requires further development and assistance from the government so that it can become a mangrove ecotourism that is widely known by the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial communities play an important role in mangrove ecosystems. In order to gain information on the bacterial communities in mangrove species and rhizospheres grown in Zhangjiangkou National Mangrove Nature Reserve, this study collected root, branch, and leaf samples from five mangrove species as well as rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere samples and analyzed the community structure of endophytic bacteria and bacteria in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere using Illumina high-throughput sequencing technique. Bacteria in 52 phyla, 64 classes, 152 orders, 295 families, and 794 genera were identified, which mainly belonged to Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria, and Nitrospirota. At each taxonomic level, the community structure of the rhizosphere bacteria varied slightly with mangrove species, but endophytic bacteria differed greatly with plant species. The diversity indices of endophytic bacteria in branch and leaf samples of Acanthus ilicifolius were significantly lower, and endophytic bacteria in the plant tissues had higher abundance in the replication/repair and translation Clusters of Orthologous Genes functional categories but lower abundance in the carbohydrate metabolism category. This study helps to understand the community structure and diversity characteristics of endophytic and rhizosphere bacteria in different mangrove plants. Provide a theoretical basis for in-depth research on the functions of mangrove ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Spatially explicit protections of coastal habitats determined on the current distribution of species and ecosystems risk becoming obsolete in 100 years if the movement of species ranges outpaces management action. Hence, a critical step of conservation is predicting the efficacy of management actions in future. We aimed to determine how foundational, habitat‐building species will respond to climate change in Fiji. Location: The Republic of Fiji. Methods: We develop species distribution models (SDMs) using MaxEnt, General Additive Models and Boosted Regression Trees and publicly available data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to predict changes in distribution of suitable habitat for mangrove forests, coral habitat, seagrass meadows and critical fisheries invertebrates under several IPCC climate change scenarios in 2070 or 2100. We then overlay predicted distribution models onto existing Fijian protected area network to assess whether today's conservation measures will afford protection to tomorrow's distributions. Results: We found that mangrove suitability is projected to decrease along the Coral Coast and increase northward towards the Yasawa Islands due to precipitation changes. The response of seagrass meadows was predicted to be inconsistent and dependent on the climate scenario. Meanwhile, suitability for coral reefs was not predicted to decline significantly overall. The mangrove crab Scylla serrata, an important resource for fisherwomen in Fiji, is projected to increase in habitat suitability while economically important sea cucumber species will have highly variable responses to climate change. Main conclusions: Species distribution models are a critical tool for conservation managers, as linking spatial distribution data with future climate change scenarios can aid in the creation and resiliency of protected area programmes. New protected area designations should consider the future distribution of species to maximize benefits to those taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deforestation and overexploitation of mangrove forests are affecting the livelihoods of millions of families that rely on their ecosystem services. Understanding local perceptions about the status and threats to mangroves is therefore crucial in addressing this issue. This research aims to enhance understanding of how sociodemographic factors influence resource use and perceptions of environmental changes through a questionnaire survey (n = 592 households) in five locations in Lamu County, home to 62% of Kenya's mangroves. The results highlight the variability of mangrove use, ecosystem service recognition, and perceptions and drivers of change across locations, which are influenced by sociodemographic factors such as gender, education, and occupation. Although 89% of respondents reported using mangrove products, only 56% were able to identify mangrove ecosystem services, with those without formal education being less likely to recognize them. Interestingly, 50% of respondents perceived an increase in mangrove cover, contrary to research showing mangrove loss in the area over the last decade. Results show that communities are diverse and perceptions vary between groups, suggesting that implementing uniform management measures may be incomplete or ineffective. Awareness campaigns and capacity-building efforts must be tailored to reduce misperceptions about the state of local resources and to address the specific needs and challenges faced by different groups. Recommendations made here are widely applicable to promote more inclusive and sustainable community engagement in the management of natural resources in developing countries worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangrove forests play a vital role in the environment. They provide a number of ecosystem services for supporting marine biodiversity, humans, and other living organisms inhabiting the area. This study aimed to determine the community structure and regeneration capacity of mangrove forests in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat, Philippines. Community structure was determined through relative density, relative frequency, relative dominance, and importance value. Using the center point circular plot method, 13 plots with 40 m diameter were established in two sampling sites: natural stand and reforested. Shannon-Weiner diversity and evenness indexes were used to determine species diversity and distribution, respectively. This study recorded a total of 14 462 individuals within the 1256 m² sampling plots, having Rhizophoraceae as the most abundant family with seven species that cover about 71% of both mangrove ecosystems. The vegetation analysis revealed that Ceriops tagal (70.35%) and Rhizophora mucronata (96.51%) had the highest importance value in the natural stand and reforested mangrove forests, respectively. Furthermore, these two species were also accounted for having the highest regeneration contribution among all species in each site. Shannon-Weiner diversity index revealed that the natural stand was more diverse compared to the reforested mangrove forest. However, the Shannon-Weiner evenness index showed that species in the reforested mangrove forest are more evenly distributed than species in the natural stand. Natural mangrove stands in Lebak have complex community structure and have higher regeneration capacity than the reforested mangrove forest. With this, the study suggested continuing the best practices employed for mangrove conservation in the area and crafting a strategic plan for sustainable mangrove resource utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large‐scale anthropogenic mangroves have been constructed in coastal regions worldwide but our understanding of their ecological effects is limited. In particular, the question of whether and how anthropogenic mangroves influence biodiversity patterns remains elusive.Here, we investigated the influence of large‐scale anthropogenic mangroves on biodiversity patterns of mangrove macrobenthos. Specifically, we measure and seek to explain differences in species richness, abundance, assemblage composition and distance‐decay effect before and after the construction of anthropogenic mangroves.We surveyed assemblages of gastropod, bivalve and crab species over a wide latitudinal extent (24–28°N) in subtropical China. For each, we calculated species richness, abundance, assemblage composition and distance‐decay relationship before and after the construction of anthropogenic mangroves.After the large‐scale anthropogenic mangroves, we found species richness of gastropods, bivalves and crabs increased by 23.81%, 100% and 20%, respectively. The distance‐decay effects of gastropods and bivalves decreased by 25% and 91.43%, while that of crabs remained virtually unchanged, which mediated by increased dispersal rate of macrobenthos. With mangrove plantation, compositional similarity of crab and bivalve assemblages increased by 28.57% and 38.46%, suggesting that large‐scale monospecific planting exacerbate biotic homogenization. Altogether, these results indicate that large‐scale anthropogenic habitats increase the diversity of mangrove macrobenthos and change taxonomic compositions by reducing distance‐decay effects and increasing dispersal rate of macrobenthos.Synthesis and applications. We emphasize that afforestation of coastal wetlands can drive major changes in benthonic communities. Monitoring and assessing the ecological effects of the anthropogenic habitats for the presence of functional faunas will be important in determining the future coastal restoration and maintaining economic aquaculture. Quantifying those effects in terms of regional biodiversity composition will contribute to the management of coastal restoration to be based upon macroevidence rather than a one‐sided local perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polychaetes play a vital role in the structure and functioning of benthic communities in mangrove ecosystems. Nevertheless, our understanding of the diversity and functional structure of polychaete assemblages across different habitats in the mangrove ecosystems along the coast of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman is limited. In this study, we investigated the species and trait composition of polychaetes and environmental variables, in vegetated and mudflat habitats of three subtropical mangroves. The results showed that Neanthes glandicincta was widely distributed across all regions and habitats. The three-factor ANOVA showed that the abundance and taxonomic diversity of polychaetes differed significantly between two habitats and three mangrove ecosystems. The abundance of polychaetes was observed to be higher in mud habitats than in vegetated habitats. There was a significant difference in species and trait composition between different regions and habitats. Vegetated habitats had higher proportions of crawler predatory species that are longer lived (3–5 years), with larger body size (80–100 mm), and are upward conveyors, whereas mudflat habitats had higher proportions of mobile (burrower) omnivore species that are moderately lived (1–3 years), with larger body size (>100 mm), and are biodiffusers. The three-factor ANOVA showed a significant difference in the community weighted mean (CWM) index between two habitats and three mangrove ecosystems. Thus, the species and trait composition of polychaetes depend on the structural complexity of their respective habitats. The DistLM analysis showed that total organic carbon content of the sediment was the main predictor variable influencing species composition, while silt/clay content and salinity were the main predictor variables influencing the traits' composition. The results showed how the composition of traits and the structure of polychaete communities change in mangrove ecosystems, which can be used for future studies on conservation strategies for mangrove ecosystems throughout the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The restoration of degraded mangrove habitats is a global priority. In countries such as India, the significance of coastal mangrove forests is deeply embedded after the 2004 tsunami and numerous cyclones that caused immense damage to coastal communities. Mangrove restoration drives have been carried out in several regions across the Indian coast. However, the establishment of mangrove nurseries using plastic bags to plant seedlings results in a large amount of plastic waste at the end of each plantation drive. People have tried to combat this issue of plastic pollution by adopting alternative methods but encountered several drawbacks and hitches. In this study, hand‐woven Palmyra (Borassus flabellifer, Arecaceae) bags were experimented with as a replacement for plastic bags to grow seedlings. The bags were able to withstand water inundation conditions similar to those of mangrove tidal flats for a maximum of 6 months, beyond which they disintegrated. The mangrove seedlings showed good growth similar to that in plastic bags, but the roots were well spread in Palmyra bags compared to plastic bags. In addition, during plantation, the seedling along with the bag could be planted as the bags were biodegradable, which is an advantage over plastic bags that need to be removed. Moreover, since local fishermen community members prepared these bags, it provided them with an alternative source of livelihood. Hence, Palmyra bags are an eco‐friendly alternative to plastic bags in reforestation programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zulaikah, S.; Bijaksana, S.; Azzahro, R.; Daryanti, N.Y.; Wahyuni, L.T.; Sari, M.; Hafiz, A., and Yunginger, R., 2023. Frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility and chemical composition of estuary mangrove sediment as environmental indicator of ecosystem degradation. Journal of Coastal Research, 39(5), 862–868. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. In this study, frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility (χfd%) was combined with the chemical content of sediments for an assessment of mangrove ecosystem degradation. Sediments from three mangrove forest sites were characterized in this study with different environmental backgrounds, i.e. Wonorejo mangroves in Surabaya (WN), Clungup mangroves in Malang (CP), and Cengkrong mangroves in Trenggalek (CG), all of which are in East Java, Indonesia. The χfd% values, which indicate the distribution of magnetic minerals in the samples, were 1.94%, 2.52%, and 0.57%, respectively. Meanwhile, the low-frequency magnetic susceptibility (χlf) was in the range of 44–1405 × 10–8 m3 kg–1 with an average of 391 × 10–8 m3 kg–1 for WN, 3–1400 × 10–8 m3 kg–1 with an average of 313 × 10–8 m3 kg–1 for CP, and 213–1261 × 10–8 m3 kg–1 with an average of 761 × 10–8 m3 kg–1 for CG. It was determined that mangrove sediment with an industrial or urban background, such as in WN and CP, had χfd% in the range of 2% or greater, with an average χlf of around 300 × 10–8 m3 kg–1. On the contrary, mangrove sediment with an unspoiled environmental background such as CG showed low χfd% values of less than 2% and an average χlf of around 700 × 10–8 m3 kg–1. Ni, Cu, and Zn were distinguishing chemical elements in the three mangrove sites. For WN and CP, the average of these elements was higher than that at CG. WN was also marked by an abundance of V, Cr, Mn, and Fe. The magnetic minerals, based on scanning electron microscope analysis, showed some spherule shapes, especially for WN, and an abundance of crystalline shapes, especially for CG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scientific paper examines the role of Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) approach in the protection of coastal and marine resources in Tanzania. It engages coastal resource users and practitioners in focus group discussions and interviews, and complements the data obtained with documented sources. A modified version of the Benefit Analysis Framework is adopted from Wenger et al. (2011) to analyze the extent to which ICM yields a wide range of benefits that may potentially promote the protection of coastal ecosystem and enhance the commitment of communities that live adjacent to the coastal strip to manage mangroves, fisheries, coral reefs, and coastal land in a sustainable manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial communities associated with plant propagules remain understudied, despite the opportunities that propagules represent as dispersal vectors for bacteria to new sites. These communities may be the product of a combination of environmental influence and inheritance from parent to offspring. The relative role of these mechanisms could have significant implications for our understanding of plant–microbe interactions. We studied the correlates of microbiome community similarities across an invasion front of red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle L.) in Florida, where the species is expanding northward. We collected georeferenced propagule samples from 110 individuals of red mangroves across 11 populations in Florida and used 16S rRNA gene (iTag) sequencing to describe their bacterial communities. We found no core community of bacterial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) across the Florida range of red mangroves, though there were some ASVs shared among individuals within most populations. Populations differed significantly as measured by Bray–Curtis dissimilarity, but not Unifrac distance. We generated data from 6 microsatellite loci from 60 individuals across 9 of the 11 populations. Geographic distance was correlated with beta diversity, but genetic distance was not. We conclude that red mangrove propagule bacterial communities are likely influenced more by local environmental acquisition than by inheritance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sundarban is the world's largest contiguous mangrove forest and stores around 26.62 Tg of blue carbon. The present study reviewed the factors causing a decline in its blue carbon content and poses a challenge in enhancing the carbon stock of this region. This review emphasized that recurrent tropical cyclones, soil erosion, freshwater scarcity, reduced sediment load into the delta, nutrient deficiency, salt-stress-induced changes in species composition, mangrove clearing, and anthropogenic pollution are the fundamental drivers which can potentially reduce the total blue carbon stock of this region. The southern end of the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna Delta that shelters this forest has stopped its natural progradation due to inadequate sediment flow from the upper reaches. Growing population pressure from the north of the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve and severe erosion in the southern end accentuated by regional sea-level rise has left minimal options to enhance the blue carbon stock by extending the forest premises. This study collated the scholarly observations of the past decades from this region, indicating a carbon sequestration potential deterioration. By collecting the existing knowledge base, this review indicated the aspects that require immediate attention to stop this ecosystem's draining of the valuable carbon sequestered and, at the same time, enhance the carbon stock, if possible. This review provided some key recommendations that can help sustain the blue carbon stock of the Indian Sundarban. This review stressed that characterizing the spatial variability of blue carbon with more sampling points, catering to the damaged trees after tropical cyclones, estuarine rejuvenation in the upper reaches, maintaining species diversity through afforestation programs, arresting coastal erosion through increasing sediment flow, and combating marine pollution have become urgent needs of the hour. The observations synthesized in this study can be helpful for academics, policy managers, and decision makers willing to uphold the sustainability of the blue carbon stock of this crucial ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a need for more information about the mortality of birds using the Atlantic Flyway during migration. One way to evaluate mortality is to monitor the number of carcasses, but bird carcasses are rarely seen in southeast Florida coastal ecosystems, presumably because of a high rate of scavenging. We used infrared automatic game cameras baited with frozen feeder Chickens (Gallus domesticus) to assess the scavenging communities in two common southeast Florida coastal subtropical land cover types during the dry (migratory) season: wet intertidal grounds around mangrove roots and dry grounds above the high tide line around trees, coastal shrubs, and grasses. Regardless of individual size, almost all carcasses were removed within 12 hours of being deployed, and all were removed within 24 hours. The three most sighted scavenging species were Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), common raccoon (Procyon lotor), and marsh rice rat (Oryzomys palustris) in both cover types. We observed only one photo of one domestic cat (Felis catus) over all the deployments, despite local agency concern about bird predation by large feral cat populations in the region. Because of the high rate of local scavenging and rapidity of removals, observed carcass numbers in natural coastal ecosystems is not recommended as a direct mortality proxy for migratory bird species in southeast Florida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]