Mangroves are one of the most productive and biologically important blue-carbon ecosystems across the coastal intertidal zone of earth. In the current scenario of serious environmental changes like global warming, climate change, extreme natural disasters, mangrove forests play a vital role in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and maintaining ecosystem balance. Mangroves are unique ecosystems with rich biological diversity of different taxonomic groups exhibiting great ecological and commercial importance. The book consolidates existing and emerging information on ecology of mangroves, with a special reference to their biodiversity and management. It emphasizes on the role of mangroves in providing various ecological services. The book is a comprehensive compilation covering all aspects of mangrove ecology. It is useful for students and researchers in ecology, plants sciences and environmental sciences.

Study with special reference to India.

Mangrove ecosystems are tropical or subtropical communities of mainly tree species which can be found on low, muddy, usually intertidal coastal areas. They cover an area of approximately twenty million hectares throughout the world, with the largest expanses occurring in Malaysia, India, Brazil, Venezuela, Nigeria and Senegal. Mangrove communities are of great ecological importance due to the role they play as habitat builders and shoreline stabilisers. They typically grow in saline coastal soils, which develop through a combination of two processes: mineral sediment deposition and organic matter accumulation. This book presents topical research from across the globe in the study of mangroves, including the eco-biology of mangroves; the mangrove ecosystem of Sundarbans, India; mangrove wetland ecosystem modelling in the Everglades; and the microbial diversity from mangrove sediments.

This book presents a comprehensive overview and analysis of mangrove ecological processes, structure, and function at the local, biogeographic, and global scales and how these properties interact to provide key ecosystem services to society. The analysis is based on an international collaborative effort that focuses on regions and countries holding the largest mangrove resources and encompasses the major biogeographic and socio-economic settings of mangrove distribution. Given the economic and ecological importance of mangrove wetlands at the global scale, the chapters aim to integrate ecological and socio-economic perspectives on mangrove function and management using a system-level hierarchical analysis framework. The book explores the nexus between mangrove ecology and the capacity for ecosystem services, with an emphasis on thresholds, multiple stressors, and local conditions that determine this capacity. The interdisciplinary approach and illustrative study cases included in the book will provide valuable resources in data, information, and knowledge about the current status of one of the most productive coastal ecosystem in the world.

Protection of the environment has nowadays become a major challenge and a condi tion for survival of future human generations and life on Earth in general. Yet it is still far too much of a dream or hope rather than a reality in the policy of our societies. Presently we are experiencing an unprecedented exponential growth of demography combined with a race for profit, resulting in excessive consumption particularly of en ergy, and a serious impact on the world ecosystems. Various types of pollutants and emerging new diseases not only disrupt the normal course of life, but also above this some of the atmospheric pollutants are most likely involved in the changing climate. We fear and literally shiver at the thought that the "changing climate" would ultimately disrupt the fragile thermodynamic equilibrium between the atmosphere and the oceans. Are we insensitive to these facts to the point of pushing our descendants, some genera tions ahead, into a new glacial period after a first period of warming up, at least, in northern Europe, like the one that took place 13 to 14 millennia ago? Surely the planet's nature is not prepared to be dominated by man and will go its way, whether humanity will be alive or dead.

Increasing domination of ecosystems by humans is steadily transforming them into depauperate systems. How will this loss of biodiversity affect the functioning and stability of natural and managed ecosystems? This work provides comprehensive coverage of empirical and theoretical research.

"This atlas provides the first truly global assessment of the state of the world's mangroves. Written by the leading expert on mangroves with support from the top international researchers and conservation organizations, this full color atlas contains 60 full-page maps, hundreds of photographs and illustrations and a comprehensive country-by-country assessment of mangroves. Included are the first detailed estimates of changes in mangrove forestcover worldwide and at regional and national levels, an assessment of these changes and a country-by-country examination of biodiversity protection. The book also presents a wealth of global statistics on biodiversity, habitat area, loss and economic value which provide a unique record of mangroves against which future threats and changes can be evaluated. Case-studies, written by regional experts, provide insights into regional mangrove issues, including primary and potential productivity, biodiversity, and information on present and traditional uses and values and sustainable management."--Pub. desc.