Jiang et al. (2024): Restoring mangroves lost by aquaculture offers large blue carbon benefits
Yufeng Jiang, Zhen Zhang, Daniel A. Friess, Yangfan Li, Zengkai Zhang, Ruirui Xin, Jing Li, Qian Zhang, Yi Li IN: One Earth, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2024.11.003
The authors assess the restoration suitability of mangroves deforested by aquaculture and identify patch-scale priority areas in China and southeast Asia. Long-term satellite observations show that aquaculture expansion has caused the loss of 165,079 ha of mangroves. Habitat suitability modeling estimates that 60% of these lost mangroves are biophysically feasible for restoration and potentially removing 84 (75–96, 95% confidence interval) Mt CO2. Our findings provide spatially explicit guidance for mangrove restoration planning and highlight the contribution that mangrove restoration can make to nationally determined contributions for climate change mitigation.