TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The rise in sea levels due to climate change is increasingly threatening the mangrove ecosystem. A recent study published in the journal Earth's Future reveals that the rise in sea levels is reducing the ability of mangroves to store carbon and is even releasing long-stored carbon reserves from the soil.
At first glance, the rising tide appears beneficial to the mangrove ecosystem, especially due to increased root intake. However, in the long run, researchers suggest that the rising tide is likely to exceed the mangrove forest's tolerance limit.
Researcher Arya Iwantoro said the study revealed that carbon storage can increase with sea level rise. "But this may not reveal the wider picture of what is happening across the forest as a whole," he said, as quoted from Earth on Tuesday, June 9, 2026.
Arya meant that observations at specific points do not always reflect the overall condition of the mangrove forest. Different trends emerge when interactions among water flow, sediment movement, mangrove growth, tree mortality, and carbon storage are modeled simultaneously over 100 years at the landscape scale.
The research team's model indicates that rising sea levels can extend tidal inundation beyond the tolerance limit of mangrove forests. When this threshold is exceeded, some areas become unsuitable for mangrove growth, and trees begin to die.
So far, mangroves have played a role in naturally absorbing carbon and have been important for coastal communities. This ecosystem dampens storm energy before it reaches land. It provides habitats for various species of fish and shellfish and maintains the stability of the coastline against erosion.
The study stated that the death of mangroves not only reduces the forest cover but also makes carbon-rich soil more vulnerable to erosion. Consequently, carbon stored for tens to hundreds of years may be released back into coastal waters or the atmosphere.
In order to address this issue, researchers hope to emphasize the importance of providing mangroves with space to migrate to land as sea levels continue to rise. However, in many coastal areas filled with buildings, roads, or dikes, mangroves are losing space to move and are at risk of drowning in place.
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