Wave attenuation in coastal mangroves

Abstract

This study explores the influence of the wave characteristics on the attenuation process of waves through coastal mangroves, which are threatened by the coastal mangrove squeeze phenomenon. Coastal mangrove squeeze is the phenomenon where coastal regions, even when sediment availability is sufficient, are eroding due to a lack of accommodation space caused by the land use on the landside and by sea level rise on the waterside. Along the Mekong Delta Coast, only a narrow strip of mangroves of less than 140 m is left at the locations where a strong erosion of up to 100myr¡1 is observed. Furthermore, observations at the south eastern and the eastern coasts of the Mekong Delta are, that a mangrove width ranging from approximately 30m to260m and 140m on average, appears to be stable. Therefore, a hypothesis regarding coastal mangrove squeeze is proposed based on the empirical relationship between mangrove forest width and coastline evolution. The hypothesis is proposed, that a minimum space of coastal mangroves is required for a sustainable development of the mangrove forest...