Australia, international
Location
Mangrove ecosystems are facing rapid losses worldwide, while there remain major knowledge gaps in the number of mangrove species globally, where different species are found, and where they may be most at risk.
Our floristic surveys are collecting morphometric, genetic, and ecosystem health data for mangrove plants around Australia and the world, setting international standards for how mangroves are classified.
Mangrove identification guides from this work allow anyone to identify mangrove plants anywhere in the world, increasing knowledge, raising public awareness, and supporting community-led conservation.
Key points
Floristic assessments and botanical guides for mangrove ecosystems
Mangroves under threat
Every year, around 100 square kilometres of mangrove forests are lost worldwide. These losses reduce or remove the many benefits these unique ecosystems provide including protecting shorelines from severe weather and sea level rise, carbon sequestration and storage, habitat for fisheries, and nurseries for young fish and other marine life.
Effective conservation of mangroves requires a detailed understanding of where species are found and threats they may be facing in different locations – but the global spread of mangroves makes this difficult.
We are working to identify and record mangrove plant types (known as the study of floristics) and linking species data and their overall condition to inform mangrove classification and conservation efforts worldwide.
From surveys to setting international standards
Our researchers have surveyed mangrove ecosystems around Australia and worldwide to identify mangrove species, subspecies, and hybrids, map the distribution of mangrove communities, and monitor their health and condition. This includes long-term partnerships with key stakeholders for local- and regional-scale surveys to assess mangrove condition and the impacts of disturbance events (see Regional-scale aerial surveys of mangroves across northern Australia).
Our on-ground and aerial surveys form the foundation of our work setting the standard for mangrove ecosystem and botanical classifications worldwide. These classification projects include:
Using morphometrics and genetics to understand mangrove taxonomy, evolution and change, vulnerability to extinction, and how subspecies are classified – including identification of new species and development of more than 80 research publications.
Evaluating mangrove floristics for conservation assessments, such as the IUCN Red List of Ecosystem Assessment Reports for mangroves of the Eastern Coral Sea Triangle, the Australian Coral Sea, the Northwest of Australia and Sahul, the South-west Australian Shelf, and the East Central and Southeast Australian Shelf.
Guides just a tap away
Publications arising from this work provide valuable resources for researchers, students, citizen scientists, and anyone interested in mangroves. These resources include botanical guidebooks, scientific publications, an online database with the Atlas of Living Australia (CSIRO), and an internationally acclaimed identification app for all mangroves in the world.
The World Mangrove iD-2 app features more than 80 mangrove plant types, including species, intermediates, hybrids, and subspecies, helping users to identify and record mangrove plants anywhere mangroves are found. To assist with species identification, the app also describes a small number of plants occasionally associated with mangrove plants in their unique intertidal niche.
The app contains over 1500 images as well as detailed species information, key features, photo recognition, worldwide country checklists, IUCN Mangrove Ecosystem region lists, and complete botanical identification keys for every taxon. Users are encouraged to contribute their findings and photos to be considered in ongoing updates of the app, further improving this collective body of knowledge about mangrove species and where they are found.
Together with MangroveWatch citizen science programs with Earthwatch Australia, these floristic guides support community-led monitoring and greater public awareness of mangrove ecosystems for boosting conservation efforts at local, regional, and global scales. With the assistance of dedicated citizen scientists, more than 10% of the world’s mangrove plants have been named and described with this project.
Project details
Floristic surveys are led by Professor Norm Duke with funding and support from multiple sources including the US Forest Service, IUCN Red List for Ecosystems, IUCN French Committee, Earthwatch Australia, Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland, and the Norman Wettenhall Foundation.
Related resources
Research support
Research leads
