Mangroves in the global climate and environmental mix

Mangroves provide numerous ecosystem services to humanity and yet remain some of the most undervalued and poorly treated ecosystems in the world. Mangroves are distributed in the land-sea interphase of tropical and subtropical coasts in 123 countries. Up until two decades ago, scholars have focused on the provisioning, supporting, and cultural services associated with mangroves, but recent efforts have pivoted towards mangroves role in regulating the global carbon cycle. Today, it is established that mangroves sequester 50 times more carbon than tropical forests, with strong indications that mangroves are the missing carbon sink. Despite their importance, mangroves remain under threat from human activities, and action is required to protect them. This paper provides an overview of the importance of mangroves to humanity, their role in carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling, and highlights the threats they continue to face across their range.