Coastal Mangrove Squeeze in the Mekong Delta
The role of mangrove forests in providing coastal zone stability and protection against flooding is increasingly recognized. The specific root, stem, and canopy system of mangroves is highly efficient in attenuating waves and currents. The sheltered environment created by a healthy mangrove forest offers great sedimentation potential.
Despite Protections, Miami Port Project Smothers Coral Reef in Silt
The government divers who plunged into the bay near the Port of Miami surfaced with bad news again and again: Large numbers of corals were either dead or dying, suffocated by sediment. The source of the sediment, environmentalists say, is a $205 million dredging project…
Great Barrier Reef: Warmer Waters Helping Coral-Eating Starfish Thrive
The survival chances of crown-of-thorns starfish increase by as much as 240% if sea-surface temperatures rise 2C, say Australian researchers.
To Save Coral Reefs, First Save the Mangroves
With coral reefs in decline and NOAA calling for a larger protected area for reefs in the Gulf of Mexico, U.S. Geological Survey scientists are pointing out another strategy to save reefs: First save the mangroves.
UN Sends Team to Clean Up Sunderbans Oil Spill in Bangladesh
The United Nations said on Thursday it has sent a team of international experts to Bangladesh to help clean up the world’s largest mangrove forest, more than a week after it was hit by a huge oil spill.
Acidic Oceans Could Quiet Coral Reefs
Scientists have been monitoring underwater sounds for decades, in part because sound propagates so efficiently underwater. But in the past 10 years, scientists have started exploring how sonic cues influence fish behavior and give a snapshot of reef health and biodiversity.
Oil Spill in Bangladesh’s Unique Mangrove Forest
On December 12, three days after a cargo vessel collided with a tanker, oil coats mangrove trees in the Sundarbans, a delta that forms the world’s largest contiguous tidal mangrove forest—a haven for a spectacular diversity of animals. More than 90,000 gallons of oil have spilled into the rivers and creeks of the region.
Gambia: Mangrove Regeneration and Coastal Erosion
The West African Birds Association has trained 120 young people from 24 schools and organizations within Banjul, and West Coast regions, building the capacity of young people on the importance of mangroves and the dangers of coastal erosion.
A Luxury Resort Threatens Belize’s Mesoamerican Reef
Belize’s Lighthouse Reef Atoll is the home of the world-famous Great Blue Hole, a massive underwater sinkhole and World Heritage Site. But two of the islands that make up this special place could soon be dredged and paved to make way for race cars, golfers, and a tarmac.