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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Marco FusiORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Human land use changes are threatening the integrity and health of coastal ecosystemsworldwide. Intensified land use for anthropogenic purposes increases sedimentation rates, pollutants, and nutrient concentrations into adjacent coastal areas, often with detrimental effects on marine life and ecosystem functioning. However, how these factors interact to influence ecosystem health in mangrove forests is poorly understood. This study investigates the effects of catchment human land use on mangrove forest architecture and sedimentary attributes at a landscape-scale. Thirty sites were selected along a gradient of human land use within a narrow latitudinal range, to minimise the effects of varying climatic conditions. Land use was quantified using spatial analysis tools with existing land use databases (LCDB5). Twenty-six forest architectural and sedimentary variables were collected from each site. The results revealed a significant effect of human land use on ten out of 26 environmental variables.Eutrophication, characterised by changes in redox potential, pH, and sediment nutrient concentrations, was strongly associated with increasing human land use. The δ15N values of sediments and leaves also indicated increased anthropogenic nitrogen input. Furthermore, the study identified a positive correlation between human land use and tree density, indicating that increased nutrient delivery from catchments contributes to enhanced mangrove growth. Propagule and seedling densities were also positively correlated with human land use, suggesting potential recruitment success mechanisms. This research underpins the complex interactions between human land use and mangrove ecosystems, revealing changes in carbon dynamics, potential alterations in ecosystem services, and a need for holistic management approaches that consider the interconnectedness of species and their environment. These findings provide essential insights for regional ecosystem models, coastal management, and restoration strategies to address the impacts of human pressures on temperate mangrove forests, even in estuaries that may be relatively healthy.
Author(s): Thomson T, Ellis JI, Fusi M, Prinz N, Lundquist CJ, Bury SJ, Shankar U, Cary SC, Pilditch CA
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Science of The Total Environment
Year: 2024
Volume: 940
Print publication date: 25/08/2024
Online publication date: 31/05/2024
Acceptance date: 25/05/2024
Date deposited: 18/10/2024
ISSN (print): 0048-9697
ISSN (electronic): 1879-1026
Publisher: Elsevier BV
URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173579
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173579
Data Access Statement: Data that support these findings are available via figshare. Meta data file: doi: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.24708249. Catchment land use, detailed contributions: doi: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.24708246
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