The response of mangrove soil surface elevation to sea level rise
Mangroves protect coastlines from flooding and wave damage, but their effectiveness depends on their ability to keep pace with sea level rise. This article reviews historical and recent evidence on mangrove surface elevation change, identifies key controlling processes, and highlights knowledge gaps affecting prediction and management of mangrove coastal defense services.
Subject Tags
- Mangroves
- Nature-based solutions
- Climate resilience
Executive Summary
Mangroves provide critical coastal defense services by reducing flooding and wave damage, helping protect people and infrastructure in low‑lying coastal regions. The long‑term provision of these services depends on the ability of mangrove soil surfaces to increase in elevation as sea level rises. This article reviews historical and recent evidence on mangrove surface elevation change, including data from locations where mangrove surfaces have kept pace with sea level rise over centuries, as well as measurements from the Surface Elevation Table–Marker Horizon method. It explores the range of physical, biological, and hydrological processes that influence elevation change, such as sedimentation, root growth, soil compaction, and faunal activity. The complexity and interaction of these processes pose challenges for modeling future responses to accelerated sea level rise, and key feedbacks and threshold rates remain poorly understood. The article highlights the need for longer-term datasets from more sites and emphasizes management actions—such as maintaining sediment supply, preventing mangrove degradation, and allowing landward migration—to enhance mangrove resilience and ensure continued coastal protection under rising sea levels.
Citation
McIvor, A. L., Spencer, T., Möller, I., & Spalding, M. (2013). The response of mangrove soil surface elevation to sea level rise. The Nature Conservancy and Wetlands International.
TNC Authors
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Mark Spalding
Senior Marine Scientist • Protect Oceans, Lands and Waters
The Nature Conservancy
Email: mspalding@tnc.org