Mangrove forests, long considered among the world's most threatened ecosystems, are now showing signs of global rebound, a new study reports. These findings mean experts are cautiously optimistic about gains in coastal protection.
The results are based on 40 years' worth of satellite data, which shows that mangrove forests are more resilient than expected. Gains over the past 16 years have outpaced losses, leaving the world with about a 1% net decline in mangrove area since the 1980s, far less than previous estimates suggested. The findings were published Thursday (June 4) in the journal Science.
