“Drowning” mangrove forests in Maldives signal global coastal threat
Researchers have found evidence that mangrove forests – which protect tropical and subtropical coastlines – are drowning in the Maldives. Their findings, published today (Tuesday 12 December) in Scientific Reports, indicate that rising sea level and a climate phenomenon known as the Indian Ocean Dipole have led to some Maldivian islands losing over half of their mangrove cover since 2020. The research team, led by Northumbria University, warn that the findings have implications not only for the Maldives, but also for other island nations and coastal ecosystems around the world. In 2020, more than a quarter of the Maldivian islands containing mangrove forests saw their trees experiencing ...
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