Death and Regeneration of an Amazonian Mangrove Forest by Anthropic and Natural Forces
The Amazon Macrotidal Mangrove Coast contains the most extensive and continuous mangrove belt globally, occupying an area of ~6500 km<sup>2</sup> and accounting for 4.2% of global mangroves. The tallest and densest mangrove forests in the Amazon occur on the Bragança Peninsula. However,...
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/24/6197 |
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| author | Sergio M. M. Cardenas Marcelo C. L. Cohen Diana P. C. Ruiz Adriana V. Souza Juan. S. Gomez-Neita Luiz C. R. Pessenda Nicholas Culligan |
| author_facet | Sergio M. M. Cardenas Marcelo C. L. Cohen Diana P. C. Ruiz Adriana V. Souza Juan. S. Gomez-Neita Luiz C. R. Pessenda Nicholas Culligan |
| author_sort | Sergio M. M. Cardenas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Amazon Macrotidal Mangrove Coast contains the most extensive and continuous mangrove belt globally, occupying an area of ~6500 km<sup>2</sup> and accounting for 4.2% of global mangroves. The tallest and densest mangrove forests in the Amazon occur on the Bragança Peninsula. However, road construction that occurred in 1973 caused significant mangrove degradation in the area. A spatial-temporal analysis (1986–2019) based on optical, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), drone images, and altimetric data obtained by photogrammetry and validated by a topographic survey were carried out to understand how the construction of a road led to the death of mangroves. The topographic data suggested that this road altered the hydrodynamical flow, damming tidal waters. This process killed at least 4.3 km<sup>2</sup> of mangrove trees. Nevertheless, due to natural mangrove recolonization, the area exhibiting degraded mangrove health decreased to ~2.8 km<sup>2</sup> in 2003 and ~0.73 km<sup>2</sup> in 2019. Climatic extreme events such as “El Niño” and “La Niña” had ephemeral control over the mangrove degradation/regeneration. In contrast, the relative sea-level rise during the last several decades caused long-term mangrove recolonization, expanding mangrove areas from lower to higher tidal flats. Permanently flooded depressions in the study area, created by the altered hydrodynamical flow due to the road, are unlikely to be recolonized by mangroves unless connections are re-established between these depressions with drainage on the Caeté estuary through pipes or bridges to prevent water accumulation between the road and depressions. To minimize impacts on mangroves, this road should have initially been designed to cross mangrove areas on the highest tidal flats and to skirt the channel headwaters to avoid interruption of regular tidal flow. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:54:12Z |
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| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:54:12Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-215b415ffd17441287fb3532a254cb0a2023-11-24T17:45:43ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922022-12-011424619710.3390/rs14246197Death and Regeneration of an Amazonian Mangrove Forest by Anthropic and Natural ForcesSergio M. M. Cardenas0Marcelo C. L. Cohen1Diana P. C. Ruiz2Adriana V. Souza3Juan. S. Gomez-Neita4Luiz C. R. Pessenda5Nicholas Culligan6Laboratory of Coastal Dynamics, Graduate Program of Geology and Geochemistry, Federal University of Pará, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 01-Guamá, Belém 66075-110, PA, BrazilLaboratory of Coastal Dynamics, Graduate Program of Geology and Geochemistry, Federal University of Pará, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 01-Guamá, Belém 66075-110, PA, BrazilLaboratory of Coastal Dynamics, Graduate Program of Geology and Geochemistry, Federal University of Pará, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 01-Guamá, Belém 66075-110, PA, BrazilLaboratory of Coastal Dynamics, Graduate Program of Geology and Geochemistry, Federal University of Pará, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 01-Guamá, Belém 66075-110, PA, BrazilLaboratory of Coastal Dynamics, Graduate Program of Geology and Geochemistry, Federal University of Pará, Rua Augusto Corrêa, 01-Guamá, Belém 66075-110, PA, BrazilCENA/14C Laboratory, University of São Paulo, Av. Centenário 303, Piracicaba 13400-000, SP, BrazilDepartment of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, College of the Coast and Environment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USAThe Amazon Macrotidal Mangrove Coast contains the most extensive and continuous mangrove belt globally, occupying an area of ~6500 km<sup>2</sup> and accounting for 4.2% of global mangroves. The tallest and densest mangrove forests in the Amazon occur on the Bragança Peninsula. However, road construction that occurred in 1973 caused significant mangrove degradation in the area. A spatial-temporal analysis (1986–2019) based on optical, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), drone images, and altimetric data obtained by photogrammetry and validated by a topographic survey were carried out to understand how the construction of a road led to the death of mangroves. The topographic data suggested that this road altered the hydrodynamical flow, damming tidal waters. This process killed at least 4.3 km<sup>2</sup> of mangrove trees. Nevertheless, due to natural mangrove recolonization, the area exhibiting degraded mangrove health decreased to ~2.8 km<sup>2</sup> in 2003 and ~0.73 km<sup>2</sup> in 2019. Climatic extreme events such as “El Niño” and “La Niña” had ephemeral control over the mangrove degradation/regeneration. In contrast, the relative sea-level rise during the last several decades caused long-term mangrove recolonization, expanding mangrove areas from lower to higher tidal flats. Permanently flooded depressions in the study area, created by the altered hydrodynamical flow due to the road, are unlikely to be recolonized by mangroves unless connections are re-established between these depressions with drainage on the Caeté estuary through pipes or bridges to prevent water accumulation between the road and depressions. To minimize impacts on mangroves, this road should have initially been designed to cross mangrove areas on the highest tidal flats and to skirt the channel headwaters to avoid interruption of regular tidal flow.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/24/6197Bragança Peninsulaclimate variabilitydigital elevation modelmangroveremote sensingsea-level rise |
| spellingShingle | Sergio M. M. Cardenas Marcelo C. L. Cohen Diana P. C. Ruiz Adriana V. Souza Juan. S. Gomez-Neita Luiz C. R. Pessenda Nicholas Culligan Death and Regeneration of an Amazonian Mangrove Forest by Anthropic and Natural Forces Remote Sensing Bragança Peninsula climate variability digital elevation model mangrove remote sensing sea-level rise |
| title | Death and Regeneration of an Amazonian Mangrove Forest by Anthropic and Natural Forces |
| title_full | Death and Regeneration of an Amazonian Mangrove Forest by Anthropic and Natural Forces |
| title_fullStr | Death and Regeneration of an Amazonian Mangrove Forest by Anthropic and Natural Forces |
| title_full_unstemmed | Death and Regeneration of an Amazonian Mangrove Forest by Anthropic and Natural Forces |
| title_short | Death and Regeneration of an Amazonian Mangrove Forest by Anthropic and Natural Forces |
| title_sort | death and regeneration of an amazonian mangrove forest by anthropic and natural forces |
| topic | Bragança Peninsula climate variability digital elevation model mangrove remote sensing sea-level rise |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/24/6197 |
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