IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v14y2023i1d10.1038_s41467-023-42733-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Mangrove removal exacerbates estuarine infilling through landscape-scale bio-morphodynamic feedbacks

Author

Listed:
  • Danghan Xie

    (Utrecht University
    Boston University)

  • Christian Schwarz

    (KU Leuven
    KU Leuven)

  • Maarten G. Kleinhans

    (Utrecht University)

  • Karin R. Bryan

    (University of Waikato)

  • Giovanni Coco

    (University of Auckland)

  • Stephen Hunt

    (Waikato Regional Council)

  • Barend van Maanen

    (University of Exeter)

Abstract

Changes in upstream land-use have significantly transformed downstream coastal ecosystems around the globe. Restoration of coastal ecosystems often focuses on local-scale processes, thereby overlooking landscape-scale interactions that can ultimately determine restoration outcomes. Here we use an idealized bio-morphodynamic model, based on estuaries in New Zealand, to investigate the effects of both increased sediment inputs caused by upstream deforestation following European settlement and mangrove removal on estuarine morphology. Our results show that coastal mangrove removal initiatives, guided by knowledge on local-scale bio-morphodynamic feedbacks, cannot mitigate estuarine mud-infilling and restore antecedent sandy ecosystems. Unexpectedly, removal of mangroves enhances estuary-scale sediment trapping due to altered sedimentation patterns. Only reductions in upstream sediment supply can limit estuarine muddification. Our study demonstrates that bio-morphodynamic feedbacks can have contrasting effects at local and estuary scales. Consequently, human interventions like vegetation removal can lead to counterintuitive responses in estuarine landscape behavior that impede restoration efforts, highlighting that more holistic management approaches are needed.

Suggested Citation

  • Danghan Xie & Christian Schwarz & Maarten G. Kleinhans & Karin R. Bryan & Giovanni Coco & Stephen Hunt & Barend van Maanen, 2023. "Mangrove removal exacerbates estuarine infilling through landscape-scale bio-morphodynamic feedbacks," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-42733-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42733-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-42733-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-023-42733-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Catherine E. Lovelock & Donald R. Cahoon & Daniel A. Friess & Glenn R. Guntenspergen & Ken W. Krauss & Ruth Reef & Kerrylee Rogers & Megan L. Saunders & Frida Sidik & Andrew Swales & Neil Saintilan & , 2015. "The vulnerability of Indo-Pacific mangrove forests to sea-level rise," Nature, Nature, vol. 526(7574), pages 559-563, October.
    2. Yu-Chi Chen & Chun-Han Shih, 2019. "Sustainable Management of Coastal Wetlands in Taiwan: A Review for Invasion, Conservation, and Removal of Mangroves," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-16, August.
    3. J. H. Nienhuis & A. D. Ashton & D. A. Edmonds & A. J. F. Hoitink & A. J. Kettner & J. C. Rowland & T. E. Törnqvist, 2020. "Global-scale human impact on delta morphology has led to net land area gain," Nature, Nature, vol. 577(7791), pages 514-518, January.
    4. Yuan Xu & Christopher R. Esposito & Maricel Beltrán-Burgos & Heidi M. Nepf, 2022. "Competing effects of vegetation density on sedimentation in deltaic marshes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Matthew L. Kirwan & J. Patrick Megonigal, 2013. "Tidal wetland stability in the face of human impacts and sea-level rise," Nature, Nature, vol. 504(7478), pages 53-60, December.
    6. Mark Schuerch & Tom Spencer & Stijn Temmerman & Matthew L. Kirwan & Claudia Wolff & Daniel Lincke & Chris J. McOwen & Mark D. Pickering & Ruth Reef & Athanasios T. Vafeidis & Jochen Hinkel & Robert J., 2018. "Future response of global coastal wetlands to sea-level rise," Nature, Nature, vol. 561(7722), pages 231-234, September.
    7. A. W. Baar & M. Boechat Albernaz & W. M. Dijk & M. G. Kleinhans, 2019. "Critical dependence of morphodynamic models of fluvial and tidal systems on empirical downslope sediment transport," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-12, December.
    8. Amrit Melissa Dencer-Brown & Andrea C. Alfaro & Simon Milne & John Perrott, 2018. "A Review on Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, and Perceptions of New Zealand’s Mangroves: Can We Make Informed Decisions about Their Removal?," Resources, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-21, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. repec:ags:aaea22:335970 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Guandong Li & Torbjörn E. Törnqvist & Sönke Dangendorf, 2024. "Real-world time-travel experiment shows ecosystem collapse due to anthropogenic climate change," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Bregje K. van Wesenbeeck & Wiebe de Boer & Siddharth Narayan & Wouter R. L. van der Star & Mindert B. de Vries, 2017. "Coastal and riverine ecosystems as adaptive flood defenses under a changing climate," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 22(7), pages 1087-1094, October.
    4. Tracy Elsey-Quirk & Austin Lynn & Michael Derek Jacobs & Rodrigo Diaz & James T. Cronin & Lixia Wang & Haosheng Huang & Dubravko Justic, 2024. "Vegetation dieback in the Mississippi River Delta triggered by acute drought and chronic relative sea-level rise," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Fan Xu & Zeng Zhou & Sergio Fagherazzi & Andrea D’Alpaos & Ian Townend & Kun Zhao & Weiming Xie & Leicheng Guo & Xianye Wang & Zhong Peng & Zhicheng Yang & Chunpeng Chen & Guangcheng Cheng & Yuan Xu &, 2024. "Anomalous scaling of branching tidal networks in global coastal wetlands and mudflats," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Minjing Wang & Yanyan Kang & Zhuyou Sun & Jun Lei & Xiuqiang Peng, 2022. "Monitoring Wetland Landscape Evolution Using Landsat Time-Series Data: A Case Study of the Nantong Coast, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-20, October.
    7. Xuejiao Hou & Danghan Xie & Lian Feng & Fang Shen & Jaap H. Nienhuis, 2024. "Sustained increase in suspended sediments near global river deltas over the past two decades," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    8. Shane Orchard & Kenneth F. D. Hughey & Richard Measures & David R. Schiel, 2020. "Coastal tectonics and habitat squeeze: response of a tidal lagoon to co-seismic sea-level change," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 103(3), pages 3609-3631, September.
    9. Gregory S. Fivash & Stijn Temmerman & Maarten G. Kleinhans & Maike Heuner & Tjisse Heide & Tjeerd J. Bouma, 2023. "Early indicators of tidal ecosystem shifts in estuaries," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    10. Leonard O. Ohenhen & Manoochehr Shirzaei & Chandrakanta Ojha & Matthew L. Kirwan, 2023. "Hidden vulnerability of US Atlantic coast to sea-level rise due to vertical land motion," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    11. Yaoshen Fan & Shoubing Yu & Jinghao Wang & Peng Li & Shenliang Chen & Hongyu Ji & Ping Li & Shentang Dou, 2022. "Changes of Inundation Frequency in the Yellow River Delta and Its Response to Wetland Vegetation," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-14, September.
    12. Maricar Aguilos & Charlton Brown & Kevan Minick & Milan Fischer & Omoyemeh J. Ile & Deanna Hardesty & Maccoy Kerrigan & Asko Noormets & John King, 2021. "Millennial-Scale Carbon Storage in Natural Pine Forests of the North Carolina Lower Coastal Plain: Effects of Artificial Drainage in a Time of Rapid Sea Level Rise," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-19, November.
    13. Sinéad M. Crotty & Daniele Pinton & Alberto Canestrelli & Hallie S. Fischman & Collin Ortals & Nicholas R. Dahl & Sydney Williams & Tjeerd J. Bouma & Christine Angelini, 2023. "Faunal engineering stimulates landscape-scale accretion in southeastern US salt marshes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    14. Ge, Zhen-Ming & Guo, Hai-Qiang & Zhao, Bin & Zhang, Chao & Peltola, Heli & Zhang, Li-Quan, 2016. "Spatiotemporal patterns of the gross primary production in the salt marshes with rapid community change: A coupled modeling approach," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 321(C), pages 110-120.
    15. Jirawat Panpeng & Mokbul Morshed Ahmad, 2017. "Vulnerability of Fishing Communities from Sea-Level Change: A Study of Laemsing District in Chanthaburi Province, Thailand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-19, August.
    16. Hermine Vedogbeton & Robert J. Johnston, 2020. "Commodity Consistent Meta-Analysis of Wetland Values: An Illustration for Coastal Marsh Habitat," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 75(4), pages 835-865, April.
    17. Yuqing Zhao & Zenglin Han & Changren Zhang & Yuqiao Wang & Jingqiu Zhong & Mengfan Gao, 2024. "Coastal Cultural Ecosystem Services: A Bridge between the Natural Ecosystem and Social Ecosystem for Sustainable Development," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-22, August.
    18. Romy Hulskamp & Arjen Luijendijk & Bas Maren & Antonio Moreno-Rodenas & Floris Calkoen & Etiënne Kras & Stef Lhermitte & Stefan Aarninkhof, 2023. "Global distribution and dynamics of muddy coasts," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    19. Stanisław Zaborowski & Tomasz Kałuża & Szymon Jusik & Tomasz Dysarz & Mateusz Hämmerling, 2024. "Environmental Restoration and Changes of Sediment and Hydrodynamic Parameters in a Section of a Renaturalised Lowland Watercourse," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-23, May.
    20. Zhiyi Lin & Minerva Singh, 2024. "Assessing Coastal Vulnerability and Evaluating the Effectiveness of Natural Habitats in Enhancing Coastal Resilience: A Case Study in Shanghai, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-23, January.
    21. Panpan Cui & Fangli Su & Fang Zhou, 2022. "Inundation Depth Shape Phenotypic Variability of Phragmites australis in Liaohe Estuary Wetland, Northeast China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-13, November.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-42733-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.