Center for Social and Environmental Systems Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki, Japan.
School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona.
Glob Chang Biol. 2018 Nov;24(11):5391-5410. doi: 10.1111/gcb.14409. Epub 2018 Aug 24.
Myanmar is one of the mangrove-richest countries in the world, providing valuable ecosystem services to people. However, due to deforestation driven primarily by agricultural expansion, Myanmar's mangrove forest cover has declined dramatically over the past few decades, while what remains is still under pressure. To support management planning, accurate quantification of mangrove forest cover changes on a national scale is needed. In this study, we quantified Myanmar's mangrove forest cover changes between 2000 and 2014 using remotely sensed data, examined the environmental impacts of such changes, and estimated the changes in the economic values of mangrove ecosystem services in the country. Results indicate that Myanmar had a net mangrove loss of 191,122 ha over the study period. Since 2000, Myanmar has been losing mangrove forest cover at an alarming rate of 14,619 ha/year (2.2%/year). The loss was predominant in Rakhine and Ayeyarwady. The observed mangrove forest cover loss has resulted in decreased evapotranspiration, carbon stock, and tree cover percentage. Due to deforestation, Myanmar also suffered a net loss of 2,397 million US$/year in its mangrove ecosystem service value (i.e. 28.7% decrease from 2000), in which maintenance of fisheries nursery populations and habitat and coastal protection were among those services that were greatly affected. We suggest that intensive reforestation and mangrove protection programs be implemented immediately. Agroforestry and community forestry programs are encouraged in areas that are under immense pressure from paddy field expansion, fuelwood extraction, charcoal production, and fish and shrimp farming activities. Potential alternative sustainable solutions should include intensive government-led private forest plantations or community-owned forest plantations to be developed with care by local farmers, nongovernmental organizations, and business owners.
缅甸是世界上红树林资源最丰富的国家之一，为人类提供了宝贵的生态系统服务。然而，由于主要由农业扩张驱动的森林砍伐，缅甸的红树林覆盖面积在过去几十年中急剧减少，而剩余的红树林仍面临压力。为了支持管理规划，需要准确量化国家一级红树林覆盖变化。在这项研究中，我们使用遥感数据量化了 2000 年至 2014 年期间缅甸红树林覆盖的变化，研究了这些变化对环境的影响，并估算了该国红树林生态系统服务经济价值的变化。结果表明，研究期间，缅甸净损失红树林 191122 公顷。自 2000 年以来，缅甸每年以惊人的速度损失 14619 公顷（每年 2.2%）的红树林。损失主要发生在若开邦和伊洛瓦底省。观察到的红树林覆盖减少导致蒸发蒸腾量、碳储量和树木覆盖率降低。由于森林砍伐，缅甸的红树林生态系统服务价值也损失了 23.97 亿美元（即 2000 年以来减少了 28.7%），其中渔业育苗区种群和栖息地维护以及沿海保护等服务受到了极大影响。我们建议立即实施密集的重新造林和红树林保护计划。鼓励在面临稻田扩张、薪材采伐、木炭生产和鱼虾养殖活动巨大压力的地区实施农林复合和社区林业计划。潜在的替代可持续解决方案包括密集的政府主导的私人造林或由当地农民、非政府组织和企业所有者谨慎开发的社区所有的造林。
