Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Importance of Mangroves to Human Well-being

This review synthesizes the role of mangrove ecosystems in supporting human well-being through provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting ecosystem services including climate regulation, food security, and poverty reduction, recommending science-based protection and restoration strategies to sustain these critical coastal habitats.

2022 International Journal of Zoological Investigations 3 citations
Review Tier 2

Mangrove Health: A Review of Functions, Threats, and Challenges Associated with Mangrove Management Practices

This review describes how mangrove forests protect coastlines, store carbon, and support marine life, but are under increasing threat from development, pollution, and climate change. Mangrove loss matters for microplastic pollution because these ecosystems act as natural filters that can trap plastic particles before they spread further into the ocean and food chain.

2023 Forests 181 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of Microplastics on Mangroves - A Review

Mangrove forests act as natural traps for microplastics due to their dense root systems that slow water flow, leading to higher microplastic accumulation in mangroves than other coastal zones. This matters because the build-up harms mangrove plants at the cellular and physiological level, threatening these ecologically critical habitats that protect coastlines and support fisheries.

2023 International Journal of Research and Review 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Configuration of Allocated Mangrove Areas and Protection of Mangrove-Dominated Muddy Coasts: Knowledge Gaps and Recommendations

This study examined the allocation and conservation of mangrove areas along muddy coasts, finding that uncontrolled development leads to erosion and loss of these ecosystems. Healthy mangrove forests act as natural barriers that can trap and filter microplastics before they reach open ocean environments.

2021 Sustainability 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Biophysical interactions in coastal habitats

This study reviewed how coastal vegetation like seagrasses and saltmarshes attenuate waves and stabilize shorelines, and how their capacity varies under different conditions. Healthy coastal ecosystems provide natural barriers that also trap plastic debris, making their conservation relevant to managing marine pollution.

2023
Article Tier 2

Scient metrics analysis of mangrove studies from 1980 to 2020

This scientometric review analyzed 40 years of published research on mangrove ecosystems, tracking how scientific focus has shifted from basic ecology to conservation and human impact assessment. Mangroves are important coastal filters that trap plastic debris and microplastics before they reach the open ocean.

2021 Journal of Aquaculture & Marine Biology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Mangroves as unique but understudied traps for anthropogenic marine debris: A review of present information and the way forward

This review examined mangroves as understudied traps for anthropogenic marine debris, noting that 18 of the top 20 plastic-emitting rivers are associated with mangrove coastlines. Mangroves efficiently accumulate debris through their dense root structures, yet are rarely included in coastal plastic monitoring programs.

2020 Environmental Pollution 140 citations
Article Tier 2

What evidence exists on the performance of nature-based solutions interventions for coastal protection in biogenic, shallow ecosystems? A systematic map protocol

Researchers created a protocol to systematically map the scientific evidence on nature-based solutions — such as oyster reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds — for protecting coastlines from erosion and storms. The systematic map will identify where evidence is strong, where gaps exist, and how well these natural defenses actually perform.

2023 Environmental Evidence 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecological interception effect of mangroves on microplastics

Researchers found that mangroves act as an ecological barrier intercepting microplastics, with MP abundance decreasing from river inputs toward the ocean, demonstrating the role of mangrove ecosystems in filtering plastic pollution before it reaches open waters.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 121 citations
Article Tier 2

Past, Present and Future of Sri Lankan Coastal Macrophyte-Dominated Ecosystems: Blue Carbon, Conservation, Restoration and Policy

This review examines the past, present, and future of Sri Lanka's coastal macrophyte ecosystems — mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses — highlighting their critical roles in blue carbon sequestration, biodiversity support, and coastal protection, and noting Sri Lanka's pioneering legislation to protect all remaining mangrove forests.

2022 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Mangrove Ecosystem, Seagrass, Coral Reef: its Role in Self-Purification and Carrying Capacity in Coastal Areas

This review examined how mangrove ecosystems, seagrass beds, and coral reefs provide natural purification services and support coastal biodiversity. These ecosystems are also highly vulnerable to microplastic pollution, which can smother corals, be ingested by seagrass fauna, and accumulate in mangrove sediments.

2021 International Journal Papier Advance and Scientific Review 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics retention in different types of Mangrove forest in Xuan Thuy National Park, Vietnam

Researchers measured microplastic retention in three types of mangrove forest in Xuan Thuy National Park, Vietnam, and found that mangroves trap significant quantities of microplastics from coastal waters. Mangrove restoration projects could therefore help reduce microplastic loads in adjacent coastal waters as an ecosystem service. However, mangroves themselves accumulate microplastics, which may affect their ecological functions over time.

2023
Article Tier 2

Mangrove forest: An important coastal ecosystem to intercept river microplastics

Mangrove forests along a Chinese coastline were found to act as effective interceptors of river-borne microplastics, trapping significant quantities of plastic particles before they could reach open coastal waters. The study highlights mangrove ecosystems as important natural filters for microplastic transport from land to sea, with implications for coastal conservation priorities.

2022 Environmental Research 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Preliminary Study on the Role of Mangroves in Entrapping Microplastics in Tuticorin Coast of Gulf of Mannar, Southeast Coast of India

Researchers compared microplastic concentrations in mangrove sediments versus open-beach control sites along the coast of southern India and found consistently higher levels within mangrove areas. Polyethylene and polypropylene fibers in the 1–3 mm range were most common, and weathering analysis confirmed significant environmental degradation of the particles. The findings suggest that mangrove root systems act as natural traps for microplastics, which has implications for both ecosystem health and the many coastal communities that rely on mangroves for fisheries and shore protection.

2023 Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 13 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Plastic pollution in mangrove ecosystems: A global meta-analysis

This meta-analysis pooled global data on plastic pollution in mangrove ecosystems and found that these critical coastal habitats act as natural plastic traps. Mangroves accumulate significant amounts of both large plastic debris and microplastics due to their complex root structures. Since mangroves serve as nurseries for fish and seafood species that people eat, plastic contamination in these ecosystems could affect the food chain.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Role of mangrove forest in interception of microplastics (MPs): Challenges, progress, and prospects

This review examines how mangrove forests intercept and accumulate microplastics from terrestrial, marine, and atmospheric sources, identifying knowledge gaps in understanding the mechanisms, ecological impacts, and long-term fate of trapped microplastics in mangrove ecosystems.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Bibliometric Analysis of the Effects of Aquaculture on Mangrove Forests

Researchers conducted a bibliometric analysis of 993 documents from 39 countries examining the effects of aquaculture on mangrove forests, with major contributions from China, the United States, and Indonesia. The study identified four priority research areas: heavy metal pollution assessment, blue carbon and climate change mitigation, conservation strategies, and the use of remote sensing and machine learning for monitoring mangrove loss. The findings highlight that aquaculture remains a significant threat to these critical coastal ecosystems that provide biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and flood protection services.

2024 International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of waves, burial depth and material density on microplastic retention in coastal sediments

Researchers demonstrated through field experiments in a mangrove habitat that stronger wave action removes more buried microplastics from coastal sediments, and that storms can disproportionately reduce microplastic retention, highlighting the role of physical disturbance in controlling microplastic accumulation.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Contamination in Water, Sediment, and Biota in Mangrove Forests

This review synthesized research on microplastic contamination in mangrove forest water, sediment, and biota, finding that mangroves act as both sinks and potential sources of microplastics due to their complex hydrodynamics, with ecotoxicological data on mangrove-specific organisms remaining limited.

2025
Review Tier 2

Microplastics pollution in mangrove ecosystems: A critical review of current knowledge and future directions

This review synthesizes available research on microplastic pollution in mangrove ecosystems, which act as buffers between land and sea and accumulate plastics from both marine and terrestrial sources. The authors identify key gaps in knowledge and call for more research on how microplastics affect these ecologically critical habitats.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 228 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution of microplastics in the superficial sediment of a mangrove in Southeast Brazil: A comparison between fringe and basin

Microplastic distribution was compared between fringe and basin mangrove zones in southeastern Brazil, finding that basin forests trapped significantly more microplastics than fringe areas due to lower hydrodynamic energy and greater sediment retention.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 69 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics and distribution of microplastics in the coastal mangrove sediments of China

A survey of mangrove sediments along China's coast found microplastics were ubiquitous, with concentrations and polymer types varying by proximity to human activity and hydrological conditions. The study shows that mangrove forests, which provide critical coastal ecosystem services, are accumulating significant quantities of plastic pollution.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 213 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Identifying patterns of microplastic accumulation in coastal vegetated habitats: A systematic review and meta-analysis

A meta-analysis of microplastic accumulation in coastal vegetated habitats found that mangroves have the highest microplastic concentrations compared to saltmarshes and seagrass beds, especially near urban centers and fishing zones. Nearly 40% of comparisons showed higher microplastic accumulation in vegetated versus unvegetated sites, with degraded habitats accumulating more plastics.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Study of microplastics pollution in sediments and organisms in mangrove forests: A review

This review examined 53 studies on microplastic pollution in mangrove forests, finding that these coastal ecosystems act as traps that retain microplastics in their sediments and root systems for extended periods. Researchers found that fiber-shaped and brightly colored microplastics were most commonly detected in organisms like mollusks, crustaceans, and fish living in these habitats. The highest concentrations of microplastics in mangrove environments were reported in China.

2022 Environmental Research 119 citations