Half of the world's mangrove forests are at risk of collapse, the first-ever expert evaluation of these crucial ecosystems and carbon stores revealed.

Mangroves in southern India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives are the most at risk, an analysis by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reported, labeling the main cause for this decline as human behavior.

Classified as endangered were systems in the South China Sea, the Central Pacific, and the eastern Coral Triangle around Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines.

As they are not part of the ecosystems, Mangroves in Hawaii and southeast Polynesia were not part of the evaluation. 

What are mangroves?

Mangroves, which are found across the planet, entail dozens of different species of trees and shrubs along the tropical coastline sheltering a vast array of biodiversity. 

They also serve as nurseries for fish and support various mammals like tigers, African wild dogs, and sloths. 

Taking in almost three times the carbon drawn in by tropical forests of the same size, Mangroves store a disproportionate amount of carbon for their size.

The chair of the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management Angela Andrade said, "Mangrove ecosystems are exceptional in their ability to provide essential services to people, including coastal disaster-risk reduction, carbon storage and sequestration, and support for fisheries. Their loss stands to be disastrous for nature and people across the globe."

The threat

The study discovered that mangroves, which cover around 15% of the world's coastlines, are increasingly at risk due to rising sea levels, agriculture, developments along coastlines, and pollution like oil spills and the consequences of dam construction. 

Researchers previously determined that causes of loss included prawn farms, coastal development, and dams on rivers, which influence the flow of sediment, however, rising sea levels and the climate crisis also threaten their survival because of the increased frequency and severity of intense storms which have been causing increasing threats. 

More than 250 experts from around the world took part in the research in which researchers utilized the IUCN's tools for evaluating the risk to ecosystems akin to its red list, which is used for calculating the extinction risk of species. 

"The red list of ecosystems provides clear pathways on how we can reverse mangrove loss and protect these delicate ecosystems for the future, helping, in turn, to safeguard biodiversity, tackle the effects of climate change, and support the realization of the Global Biodiversity Framework," Andrade said.