Questions by okey43 - Page 24
Case Study Mangrove ecosystems are at the interface of land and sea. They are comprised of salt-tolerant tree species as well as many terrestrial and marine animal species. Mangroves provide many ecosystem services, resources or processes provided by the natural environment from which humans benefit. For example, many commercial fish, crab, and prawn species rear their young in mangroves. In fact, many indigenous communities often collect crabs and other food sources from the mangroves in a sustainable manner. Additionally, mangroves filter pollutants out of water and absorb wave ac- tion from the ocean, which dissipates the energy so that structures on the land are not as severely impacted by the waves. In most countries coastal areas are government-controlled, and mangroves are exclusively located in coastal areas. Since the early 1980s governments have given large land leases to commercial shrimp farming corporations that remove the mangroves and replace them with holding ponds for shrimp. Ever eaten all-you-can-eat shrimp? Usually they come from these shrimp farms in Central America or southeast Asia. Generally shrimp farms can only farm in the same place for a few years before the water becomes either too polluted or the salt concentration is too high to continue farming shrimp. At this point they often apply for a lease from the government to farm in a new area of mangroves and leave the old land abandoned and polluted. Between 1980 and 2001, 20-35 % of the mangrove habitat in the world was destroyed, mostly be- cause of shrimp farms. On average, 2% of the world's mangroves are destroyed every year. This rate is higher than rainforest destruction or any other terrestrial habitat. It is estimated that at this rate of destruction in 100 years mangroves could become functionally extinct. Growing pressure from urbanization along coastlines combined with predictions of sea-level rise from global warming il- lustrate the need for coastal wetland restoration, such as mangroves. 3. What do you think might be a solution to the problem of mangrove destruction? Name and explain at least three possible solutions. (2 points) What might be some consequences of the loss of mangrove ecosystems? (1 point) 4.