"Worldwide mangrove ecosystem have been decimated as a result of economic progress and pressure from increasing human population."
Approximately, half of the 80% deforested mangroves forest have been cleared for aquaculture leaving much of the coastline, exposed to the twenty or so annual typhoons and a significant deficit of the plethora of ecosystem services provided to the local communities, and Flora and Fauna that previously flourished in this once productive habitats.
The number of mangroves in the world has been alarming that posses a big threat to the destruction of the marine ecosystem.
Some of these threats include habitat destruction, invasive species, over population , over exploitation, and pollution.
As we all know, mangrove ecosystem plays crucial roles in the ecological integrity and services.
Mangrove ecosystem serves as habitats for majority of aquatic animals as well as over all terrestrial animals.
Mangroves are usually recognized as one of the world's richest ecosystem.
Besides their direct economic contribution in forms of timber firewood, fodder, and othe products that can be harvested from them.
What is the current states of mangroves in the Philippines?
The Philippines has around 44 "Mangroves Tree", these mangroves contribute to human welfare in two fundamental ways.
First the structural building blocks of ecosystem include plants and animals.
It is used to be by 400,000-500,000 hectares of mangroves in 1920 but it declined to around 120,000 hectares in 1994.
The decline may be attributed to over-exploitation by coastal dwellers and conversion to agriculture, salt ponds, industry, and settlements (Primavera 2000).
Recent estimates suggest that mangroves area has increased to 247,362 hectares; (FMB 2007); however,it still fell short by almost half of its original area.
This loss resulted in a significant decreased in mangroves ecosystem services, including fish production and carbon sequestration.
Primavera (1997) demonstrated the correlation in comparable decline in Philippines mangrove areas and and production from near shore municipal fisheries that contrast with increase in brackish water pond area and aquaculture contribution to total fish production.
According to the estimated of Long and Giri (2011), using remotely sense satellite observations for the year 2000, 66 out of the 82 provinces in the country contain mangroves with a total covered area of 256,185 hectares.
The estimates of Long and Giri (2011) from 2000 is slightly higher than that of DENR's estimate in 2003.
Mangroves is home to many species as well.
Mangrove forest provide habitat for thousands of species at all levels of marine and forest webs, from bacteria to barnacles, to Bengal tigers.
The trees shelter insect species, attracting birds which also take over in the dense branches.
These coastal forest are prime nesting and resting sites for hundreds of shorebirds and migratory birds species, including kingfishers, herons, and egrets.
Crab-eating Macaque monkeys, Fishing cats, and Giant Monitor lizard hunt among the mangroves, along with endangered species , such as Olive Ridley Turtles, White Breasted sea eagles, Tree climbing fish, Proboscis, monkey and dugongs.
And the soft soil beneath mangrove roots enables burrowing species such as crabs, shells, and shrimps forage in the fertile mud.
If there are no mangrove forest, then sea will have no meaning. It's like having a tree with no roots, for the mangroves are root of the sea.
Mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs are often found together and work in concert. The tree trap sediment and pollutant that would otherwise flow out to sea. Seagrass beds provide further barrier to silt and mud that could smoother the reefs. In return, the reefs protect the seagrass beds and mangroves from strong ocean waves.
Without mangroves, this incredibly productive ecosystem would collapse.
Conclusion:
Protected areas should be designed and managed to protect against the broad range of threats from sea-level rise, eutrophication, coastal developments, and sedimentation, which are often not addressed by protected area management programs.
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