Southeast Asia has the greatest diversity of mangrove¹ species in the world, and mangrove forests provide multiple ecosystem² services upon which millions of people depend. Mangroves enhance fisheries by providing habitat for young fishes and offer coastal³ protection against storms and floods. They also store substantially higher densities⁴ of carbon, as compared to most other ecosystems⁵ globally, thus playing an important role in soaking up carbon dioxide emissions⁶ and mitigating⁷ climate change. Despite their benefits, mangrove forests in Southeast Asia have experienced extensive deforestation over the last few decades due to global demand for commodities. This phenomenon is likely to persist, given the continued increase in population and global affluence⁸.

 

Assistant Professor Daniel Friess from the Department of Geography at the National University of Singapore (NUS), and Dr Daniel Richards, who was formerly⁹ with the Department and is now with the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences at The University of Sheffield, recently concluded a study examining the factors leading to mangrove deforestation in Southeast Asia between 2000 and 2012. 

 

The researchers discovered that the mangrove deforestation rates in Southeast Asia were lower than previously¹⁰ thought. They also identified the rapid expansion of rice agriculture in Myanmar, and sustained conversion¹¹ of mangroves to oil palm plantations¹² in Malaysia and Indonesia, as increasing and under-recognised threats to the mangrove ecosystems.

 

The findings were published in the journal, Proceedings¹³ of the National Academy of Sciences, in December 2015.

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