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Massive mortality of mangrove forests in Southeast Brazil (Baixada Santista, State of Sao Paulo) as a result of harboring activities
Menghini, R.P.; Coelho, C.; Rovai, A.S.; Cunha-Lignon, M.; Schaeffer-Novelli, Y.; Cintron, G. (2011). Massive mortality of mangrove forests in Southeast Brazil (Baixada Santista, State of Sao Paulo) as a result of harboring activities. J. Coast. Res. SI 64: 1793-1797
In: Journal of Coastal Research. Coastal Education and Research Foundation: Fort Lauderdale. ISSN 0749-0208; e-ISSN 1551-5036
Peer reviewed article  
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Author keywords
    Anthropogenic impact; Natural recovery; Structural characterization
Authors  Top 
  • Menghini, R.P.
  • Coelho, C.
  • Rovai, A.S.
  • Cunha-Lignon, M.
  • Schaeffer-Novelli, Y.
  • Cintron, G.
Abstract
    Since the fifties the Baixada Santista’s landscape has been intensively modified by spreading unplanned and illegal human settlements, mainly by industrial and harboring activities. On 3rd September 1998, a portion of the mangrove forests that surround the Barnabé Island, Santos, State of São Paulo, Brazil (23°55’23’’S; 46°19’28’’W) was affected by a fire due to the accidental spillage of a flammable chemical substance called dicyclopentadiene (DCPD). The goals of the current study were to determine the impacts as well as to assess the initial natural recovery of this mangrove forest. Six permanent plots, were established. Three of them were used to gather data from the adult individuals that survived after spillage (M1, M2 and M3) and the others to investigate the recruitments presents in the natural recovery (RN1, RN2 e RN3) using standardized methodology. Among the adult individuals, Laguncularia racemosa was the dominant species. The densities of dead stems for these quadrants, especially for M1 and M3, were very high reaching 65.39% and 48.97%, respectively. The RN1 and RN2 plots were also dominated by L. racemosa with 100% of the stems alive. RN3 was dominated by Avicennia schaueriana but showed a decrease in the proportion of alive stems (89.09%). The magnitude of the accident is evidenced considering half (M3) or more (M1) out of the total number of stems were found dead. Yet simple and inexpensive, the methodology applied in the current study showed to be an effective tool to evaluate impacts over mangrove stands. Finally, we recommend that Baixada Santista’s integrated coastal management process must incorporate long-term mangrove monitoring.
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