Hurricanes Induced Irreversible Large‐Scale Loss of Mangrove Forests
Abstract Mangrove forests act as effective natural barriers against tropical storms. However, little information is available on the resilience of mangrove forests against hurricane impacts. Here we quantify the response of Florida mangroves to hurricane forcing. We found that the mangrove area in S...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL115692 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849689652544405504 |
|---|---|
| author | Xixing Liang Zhijun Dai Xuefei Mei Riming Wang Wenjun Zeng Sergio Fagherazzi |
| author_facet | Xixing Liang Zhijun Dai Xuefei Mei Riming Wang Wenjun Zeng Sergio Fagherazzi |
| author_sort | Xixing Liang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Mangrove forests act as effective natural barriers against tropical storms. However, little information is available on the resilience of mangrove forests against hurricane impacts. Here we quantify the response of Florida mangroves to hurricane forcing. We found that the mangrove area in South Florida experienced four sharp declines over the past thirty years, with a slow recovery trend observed after each decline. The loss of mangroves displayed an exponential decrease from the ocean to the upland during tropical cyclones, while the vegetation fringe underwent seaward extensions in fair‐weather periods. Hurricanes of category three or higher were responsible for the sharp declines in mangroves, while sea‐level rise was not related to vegetation loss. We project that mangroves loss in Florida mangrove can total 533 km2 by 2050 and 1,956 km2 by 2100, driven by an increase in frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-238f7b4856274ca5bcf36b2b8b0dbfce |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-238f7b4856274ca5bcf36b2b8b0dbfce2025-08-20T03:21:32ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-05-01529n/an/a10.1029/2025GL115692Hurricanes Induced Irreversible Large‐Scale Loss of Mangrove ForestsXixing Liang0Zhijun Dai1Xuefei Mei2Riming Wang3Wenjun Zeng4Sergio Fagherazzi5State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research East China Normal University Shanghai ChinaState Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research East China Normal University Shanghai ChinaState Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research East China Normal University Shanghai ChinaState Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research East China Normal University Shanghai ChinaState Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research East China Normal University Shanghai ChinaDepartment of Earth and Environment Boston University Boston MA USAAbstract Mangrove forests act as effective natural barriers against tropical storms. However, little information is available on the resilience of mangrove forests against hurricane impacts. Here we quantify the response of Florida mangroves to hurricane forcing. We found that the mangrove area in South Florida experienced four sharp declines over the past thirty years, with a slow recovery trend observed after each decline. The loss of mangroves displayed an exponential decrease from the ocean to the upland during tropical cyclones, while the vegetation fringe underwent seaward extensions in fair‐weather periods. Hurricanes of category three or higher were responsible for the sharp declines in mangroves, while sea‐level rise was not related to vegetation loss. We project that mangroves loss in Florida mangrove can total 533 km2 by 2050 and 1,956 km2 by 2100, driven by an increase in frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones.https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL115692mangrove forestgain and lossresiliencehurricanesea level rise |
| spellingShingle | Xixing Liang Zhijun Dai Xuefei Mei Riming Wang Wenjun Zeng Sergio Fagherazzi Hurricanes Induced Irreversible Large‐Scale Loss of Mangrove Forests Geophysical Research Letters mangrove forest gain and loss resilience hurricane sea level rise |
| title | Hurricanes Induced Irreversible Large‐Scale Loss of Mangrove Forests |
| title_full | Hurricanes Induced Irreversible Large‐Scale Loss of Mangrove Forests |
| title_fullStr | Hurricanes Induced Irreversible Large‐Scale Loss of Mangrove Forests |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hurricanes Induced Irreversible Large‐Scale Loss of Mangrove Forests |
| title_short | Hurricanes Induced Irreversible Large‐Scale Loss of Mangrove Forests |
| title_sort | hurricanes induced irreversible large scale loss of mangrove forests |
| topic | mangrove forest gain and loss resilience hurricane sea level rise |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL115692 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xixingliang hurricanesinducedirreversiblelargescalelossofmangroveforests AT zhijundai hurricanesinducedirreversiblelargescalelossofmangroveforests AT xuefeimei hurricanesinducedirreversiblelargescalelossofmangroveforests AT rimingwang hurricanesinducedirreversiblelargescalelossofmangroveforests AT wenjunzeng hurricanesinducedirreversiblelargescalelossofmangroveforests AT sergiofagherazzi hurricanesinducedirreversiblelargescalelossofmangroveforests |