Clearing mangroves to stop estuaries getting clogged with mud actually makes the problem worse, new research shows.
Clearing mangroves to stop estuaries getting clogged with mud actually makes the problem worse, new research shows.
The study focussed on New Zealand, where widespread deforestation and farming was begun by European settlers in the late 19th Century, increasing the amount of sediment in rivers.
Over many years, this has caused mud to build up in estuaries – providing habitat for mangroves to expand.
Mangroves have been cut down in some parts of New Zealand, with the aim of reducing mud build-up and exposing the mud to currents and tides that can wash it out to sea.
Read more at University of Exeter
Image: Mangrove removal at Ōmokoroa in Tauranga Harbour, New Zealand. (Credit: Braden Rowson via University of Exeter)
