Davood Mafi Cholami - Assistant Professor, Department of forest science, Faculty of natural resources and earth science, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran

Mangrove forests in different parts of the world are subject to various frequent, large-scale disturbances that vary in their intrinsic nature (e.g., geological, physical, chemical, biological) in time and space. Among various disturbances, climate change components include changes in sea-level, high water events, storminess, precipitation, temperature, atmospheric CO2concentration and ocean circulation patterns have high adverse affects on mangroves. Reduced mangrove area and health and landward mangrove migration resulted from climate change will increase the threat to human safety and shoreline development from coastal hazards such as erosion, storm waves and surges. Because of these destructive consequences, there is a need to better plan our responses to climate change impacts on mangroves, especially in its identification through regional monitoring networks, and coastal planning that facilitates mangrove migration with sea-level rise and incorporates understanding of the consequence of shoreline changes. The resistance of mangroves to climate change impacts can be improved by strategic planning of protected areas including mangroves and functionally linked ecosystems, rehabilitation of degraded mangroves, and outreach and education directed at communities residing adjacent to mangroves. The results of this paper will be helpful for informing conservation efforts, mangrove rehabilitation and national monitoring programs for protection actions in different coastal areas.

Mangroves, Climate change impacts, planning and management