Are we failing to protect threatened mangroves in the Sundarbans world heritage ecosystem?

A critical analysis reveals that the existing protected area network in the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove ecosystem, fails to safeguard the most suitable habitats for four globally threatened mangrove species—Heritiera fomes, Excoecaria agallocha, Ceriops decandra, and Xylocarpus mekongensis. The study, the first of its kind, combines habitat suitability analyses and spatial density mapping to demonstrate that H. fomes and X. mekongensis thrive in upstream areas with lower salinity, while E. agallocha and C. decandra prefer mid- to downstream habitats. Historical harvesting has significantly reduced populations of three species, highlighting urgent conservation gaps. The research recommends reconfiguring the protected area network to include these critical habitats, offering a foundation for future spatial conservation planning and more effective protection of this vital ecosystem.

Sarker, S. K., Reeve, R., Thompson, J., Paul, N. K., & Matthiopoulos, J. (2016). Are we failing to protect threatened mangroves in the Sundarbans world heritage ecosystem? Scientific Reports, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep21234