My research will determine the fundamental
differences in ecological structure and ecological functions
between the reforested, managed (through silviculture) and
natural, pristine mangroves.
In South-East Asia, about 50-80% of mangroves
were loss in the last three decades primarily due to conversion
to aquaculture ponds and timber cutting. To offset such
losses, various institutions conducted massive mangrove
planting projects aiming to restore the natural forest structure
and ecological services (called ecological functions) of
mangroves. However, most planting programs are monospecies
planting that usually failed (as manifested by poor survival
and stunted growth) because of limited knowledge in the
optimal designs for restoration ecology and failure to understand
the natural ecosystem dynamics of mangroves. Moreover, such
monospecies planting program causes reduction in biodiversity.
The loss in biodiversity could drastically reduced the performance
of ecological functions.
With this problem besetting the tropical
world, I will study if it is possible for the planted mangroves
to resemble the natural mangroves. If yes, at what rate
(in time) can the reforested and/or managed mangroves resemble
the ecological structure and functions of natural mangroves.
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