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KNOWLEDGE BASE

Sea-level rise and the "coastal squeeze"

Mangroves can keep up with moderate sea-level rise if they get sediment and room to move inland.

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Advanced 1 min read climatesea leveladaptationsediment

Mangroves have survived past sea-level changes by building up soil and migrating inland. Two things decide whether they can do so now.

Sediment supply. Mangrove soil rises when rivers and tides deliver mud and roots add organic matter. Dams and river diversions that cut sediment can leave mangroves sinking relative to the sea.

Accommodation space. To move landward, mangroves need unbuilt land behind them. Roads, embankments, shrimp ponds and towns create a coastal squeeze: the forest is pinched between rising sea and a fixed barrier.

What to expect. Where sediment is plentiful and the land behind is open, mangroves can keep pace with moderate rise. Where not, the seaward edge erodes and the forest thins.

Using Atlas. The change maps show where mangrove has retreated or advanced. Pair them with an elevation and land-use layer (planned) to identify where inland migration is possible and should be protected.

Limits. Atlas does not yet model sea-level rise; this article explains the process so results can be interpreted.

Related reading

Mangroves as climate adaptation, not only mitigation

Besides storing carbon, mangroves cut wave energy and shelter shorelines.

What destroys mangroves

Clearing for farms, shrimp ponds and development, over-harvesting, pollution, damming and rising seas.

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