New Satellite Data Reveals True Decline of World's Mangrove Forests

Costa Rica. Mangrove forests have been declining around the world. (Credit: iStockphoto/Urs Siedentop

ScienceDaily (Aug. 18, 2010) — New satellite imagery has given scientists the most comprehensive and exact data on the distribution and decline of mangrove forests from across the world. The research, carried out by scientists from the U.S Geological Survey and NASA, is published in Global Ecology and Biogeography, and reveals forest distribution is 12.3% smaller than earlier estimates.

This article is about how scientist are using technology, specifically satellites images, to see how humans are impacting the ecosystems around the world.  This article is specifically about Mangrove Forests.  "Mangrove forests are among the most productive and biologically important ecosystems of the world, including trees, palms and shrubs which grow at tropical and subtropical tidal zones across the equator."

Using this technology scientist can see that the Mangroves are in great danger as well as the organisms that live there.  "The study reveals that 75% of the remaining forest is found in just 15 countries, out of which only ~6.9% is protected under the existing protected areas network."

"The current estimate of mangrove forests of the world is less than half what it once was, and much of that is in a degraded condition," said Giri. "It is believed that 35% of mangrove forests were lost from 1980 to 2000 which has had an impact on the coastal communities that use mangrove forests as a protective barrier from natural disasters such as hurricanes and tsunamis."

The work that is being done is significant and allowing scientist to get a clear picture of the Mangrove Forest on a global scale.  If you would like to read further about this click the link.  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100818085932.htm

I found this article interesting because recently there was a huge oil spill in the Gulf and there was much talk about the Mangrove Forest in costal Louisiana and now I can see that scientist can use satellites images to view the damage that may be caused over time

Technology is a important thing and we as humans need to make efforts to use it to help us to connect better to the world.  This technology will allow us to be aware of many of the ecosystems to are being damaged by human growth and may allow us to educate and inform people quicker than before.