PROTECTION OF

COASTAL LINES BY
MANGROVES
Nature’s defense against erosion
GUIDANCE BY :Dr. VENU GOPAL

PRESENTED BY :
P.SAMPATH KUMAR 21E15A0130
B.HEMA 20E11A0101
MD.MOSINUDDIN 21E15A0112
N.RAJU 21E15A0117
 Contents
• INTRODUCTION OF COASTAL LINE
• LITERATURE REVIEW
• IMPORTANCE
• NEED FOR PROTECTION OF COAST LINE
• METHODS OF COAST LINE PROTECTION
• MANGROVE
• ROLE OF MANGOVE FOR COASTLINE PROTECTION
• CONCLUSION
• REFERENCE
INTRODUCTION
OF COASTAL LINES

What is coastal line?

A coastline is the area where land meets the sea or ocean.Its
characterised by its varied features like beaches, cliffs, bays and other
formations shaped by the interaction of land and water.
It’s a dynamic area shaped by various natural processes like erosion,
deposition and weathering.
• These regions are vital ecosystem
supporting unique biodiversity,
providing habitats for marine life ,
serving as a buffer against storms.
• Coastal lines also play a significant
role in human activities , including
fishing , tourism , transportation
and trade.
LITERATURE REVIEW
• Mangrove forests play an crucial role in coastal line
protection in india. Numerous studies conducted by
various agencies highlight their significance.
• Research from the Ministry of Environment Forest and
Climate change in INDIA emphasizes the role
of mangroves in reducing coastal erosion , acting as a
buffer against storm surges, and providing habitat
for divers ecosystems.
Publications from the indian council of Forestry Research and Education often the

ecological and economic benefits of mangrove ecosystems , including their

impact on shoreline stability and the protection they offer against natural

disasters.

Studies by indian institute of oceanography in india concluded that mangrove

forests attenuate wave energy ,reduce sedimentation and contribute to the overall

resilience of coastal lines

IMPORTANCE
1. Economic importance:
It serves as a hub for ecocomic activities like fishing,trade,and tourism,transport.
2. Biodiversity and ecosystems:
Coastal areas host diverse ecosystems such as mangroves,estuaries,coral reefs.These
support unique biodiversity,providing habitats for numerous species of plants and animals.
3. Natural protection:
Coastal regions act as a buffer against storms, tsunamis, and erosion.Mangroves and other
coastal vegetation help reduce the impact of waves and protect in land areas from flooding.
4. Recreation and Tourism:
Many coastal areas attract tourists for recreational activities likeswimming,
surfing, and sunbathing. Theseregions contribute to local economies
throughtourism.
5. Resource Availability:
Coastal areas provideresources like seafood, minerals, and energysources (e.g.,
offshore oil and gas) that arecrucial for various industries and communities.
6.Climate Regulation:
Many human civilizationshistorically settled along coastlines, giving rise to rich
cultural traditions, maritime heritage, and coastal communities' unique ways of
life.
 Need for protection of coast line
1.Erosion control:
Coastal areas are prone to erosion due to waves, tides, and storms.Protecting these
lines helps safeguard againstthe loss of land and habitats.
2.Biodiversity Preservation:
Coastalecosystems are rich in biodiversity. Protecting these areas ensures the survival
of various species of plants and animals, many of which rely on these habitats for
survival.
3. Storm surge and Flooding Mitigation:
Coastal protection helps reduce the impact of storm surges and flooding on nearby
communities, preventing damage to infrastructure and loss of life.
4. Carbon sequestration:
Coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves and salt marshes, are effective carbon
sinks. Preserving these areas helps in capturing and storing carbon dioxide,
aiding in the fight against climate change.
5. Tourism and Recreation:
Coastal areas attract tourists and offer recreational activities like swimming,
surfing, and birdwatching.Protecting these environments sustains tourism,
benefiting local economies and providing leisure opportunities.
6.Infrastructure Protection:
Critical infrastructure like roads, buildings, and utilitie often lie along coastlines.
Protecting these areas safeguards these essential assets from erosion and damage
caused by coastal hazards.
 Methods of coast line protection
• Hard Engineering
Hard Engineering methods like seawalls and
breakwaters provide immediate protection but
can be expensive to build and maintain. They
may also cause unintended consequences like
increased erosion in adjacent areas due to
changes in wave patterns.
1.Seawalls:
Typically made of concrete or rock, they absorb and deflect
wave energy, protecting the land behind them. However, they
can lead to beach erosion by reflecting wave energy and causing
scouring at their base.
2.Gabions:
Wire mesh containers filled with stones or
rocks used to absorb waveenergy.
3. Breakwaters:
Breakwaters: These structures are built
offshore or partially submerged and are
designed to absorb wave energy. They
create calmer waters in their lee,
protecting the shore. Breakwaters can be
natural (using rocks) or artificial (using
concrete blocks or geotextile bags).
• Soft engineering:
• Soft Engineering methods are
moreenvironmentally friendly and
often aim to work with natural
processes:
1.Beach nourishment:
Adding sand or sediment to eroded
beaches helps widen the beach and
absorb wave energy, providing a buffer
against erosion. However, this method
requires ongoing maintenance as the
added sand can wash away over time.
2.Dune Stabilization:
Planting vegetation like grasses and
shrubs on dunes helps bind the sand
together, strengthening the dunes
against erosion. Dunes act as a natural
barrier against storm surges and waves.
3.Managed Retreat:
Gradual relocation of buildings and
infrastructure away from eroding
coasts, allowing natural processes to
occur.
• Bioengineering:
• Bioengineering focuses on using
natural elements to protect
coastlines:
1. Living Shorelines:
Employing natural elements like
plants, oyster beds, and marsh
vegetation helps stabilize shorelines,
reduce erosion, and improve
biodiversity. They can also absorb
wave energy, acting as a natural
defense against storms.
• Regulations and Planning are crucial aspects of coastline protection:

• Zoning Laws: By regulating development nearcoastlines, these laws help

preventconstruction in vulnerable areas and minimizethe impact on natural coastal
processes.

• Coastal management plans: These plans incorporate various strategies and policies
to balance the needs of human communities with the preservation of coastal
ecosystems. They often involve input from various stakeholders, including
government agencies, scientists, and local communities.
 Mangrove
• A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows
mainly in coastal saline or brackish water.
Mangroves grow in an equatorial climate,
typically along coastlines and tidal rivers.
They have special adaptations to take in
extra oxygen and to remove salt, which
allow them to tolerate conditions that
would kill most plants. The term is also
used for tropical coastal vegetation
consisting of such species. Mangroves are
taxonomically diverse, as a result of
convergent evolution in several plant
families.
• They occur worldwide in the tropics and subtropics and even some temperate
coastal areas, mainly between latitudes 30 deg * N and 30 deg S, with the greatest
mangrove area within 5 deg of the equator.
• Mangrove plant families first appeared during the Late Cretaceous to Paleocene
epochs, and became widely distributed in part due to the movement of tectonic
plates. The oldest known fossils of mangrove palm date to 75 million years ago.
• Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees, shrubs and ferns also called halophytes, and are
adapted to live in harsh coastal conditions.
• They contain a complex salt filtration system and a complex root system to cope
with saltwater immersion and wave action. They are adapted to the low-oxygen
conditions of waterlogged mud,but are most likely to thrive in the upper half of the
intertidal zone.
• The mangrove biome, often called the mangrove forest or mangal, is a distinct
saline woodland or shrubland habitat characterized by depositional coastal
environments, where fine sediments (often with high organic content) collect in
areas protected from high-energy wave action.
• The saline conditions tolerated by various mangrove species range from
brackish water, through pure seawater (3 to 4% salinity), to water concentrated
by evaporation to over twice the salinity of ocean seawater (up to 9% salinity).
• Beginning in 2010, remote sensing technologies and global data have been used
to assess areas, conditions and deforestation rates of mangroves around the
world.
• In 2018, the Global Mangrove Watch Initiative released a new global baseline
which estimates the total mangrove forest area of the world as of 2010 at 137,
600k * m ^ 2 (53, 100sqmi) spanning 118 countries and territories.A 2022 study
on losses and gains of wetlands estimates a 3,700km2 net decrease in global
mangrove extent from 1999 to 2019.
• Mangrove loss continues due to human activity, with a global annual
deforestation rate estimated at 0.16%, and per-country rates as high as
0.70%. Degradation in quality of remaining mangroves is also an important
concern.
• There is interest in mangrove restoration for several reasons. Mangroves
support sustainable coastal and marine ecosystems. They protect nearby
areas from tsunamis and extreme weather events.
• Mangrove forests are also effective at carbon sequestration and storage.
The success of mangrove restoration may depend heavily on engagement
with local stakeholders, and on careful assessment to ensure that growing
conditions will be suitable for the species chosen.
• Mangrove forests, also called mangrove swamps or mangals, are found in
tropical and subtropical tidal areas. Areas where mangroves occur include
estuaries and marine shorelines.
• The intertidal existence to which these trees are adapted represents the major
limitation to the number of species able to thrive in their habitat.
• High tide brings in salt water, and when the tide recedes, solar evaporation of
the seawater in the soil leads to further increases in salinity. The return of tide
can flush out these soils, bringing them back to salinity levels comparable to
that of seawater.
• At low tide, organisms are also exposed to increases in temperature and
reduced moisture before being then cooled and flooded by the tide.
• Thus, for a plant to survive in this environment, it must tolerate broad ranges
of salinity, temperature, and moisture, as well as several other key
environmental factors-thus only a select few species make up the mangrove
tree community.
• Once established, mangrove roots provide an oyster habitat and slow water flow,
thereby enhancing sediment deposition in areas where it is already occurring.
• The fine, anoxic sediments under mangroves act as sinks for a variety of heavy
(trace) metals which colloidal particles in the sediments have concentrated from the
water. Mangrove removal disturbs these underlying sediments, often creating
problems of trace metal contamination of seawater and organisms of the area.
• Mangrove swamps protect coastal areas from erosion, storm surge (especially during
tropical cyclones), and tsunamis. They limit high- energy wave erosion mainly
during events such as storm surges and tsunamis.
• The mangroves' massive root systems are efficient at dissipating wave energy.
Likewise, they slow down tidal water so that its sediment is deposited as the tide
comes in, leaving all except fine particles when the tide ebbs.
• In this way, mangroves build their environments. Because of the uniqueness of
mangrove ecosystems and the protection against erosion they provide, they are often
the object of conservation programs, including national biodiversity action plans.
Role of mangrove for coastline protection
• Erosion control:
• Erosion refers to the removal of sediments from the shore, resulting in the loss
of land and a retreating shoreline. Erosion can be caused both by the small
waves that lap against the shore on a daily basis, and by infrequent large
waves, storm surges or tsunamis.
• Erosion can occur from the sediment surface, resulting in a lowering of the
surface (leading to more frequent flooding by waves and tides). It can also
occur at the mangrove edge, eg. through the formation of an erosive cliff (a
step change in surface height) at the seaward edge of the mangroves.
• The dense roots of mangroves help to bind and build soils. The above-ground
roots slow down water flows, encourage deposition of sediments and reduce
erosion.
• On every coastline waves and currents create change, sometimes bringing
sediments to the coast, but sometimes causing erosion and the loss of land. Where
mangroves occur they generally reduce erosion and enhance sedimentation.
• The mangrove vegetation reduces wave energy and slows the flow of water over
the soil surface, reducing the water's capacity to dislodge sediments and carry
them out of the mangrove area. At the same time the slower water flows can allow
already suspended sediments to settle out from the water, resulting in increased
deposition of sediment
• Typical mangrove soils are rich in
organic matter produced by the
mangroves themselves, including
living roots but also dead leaves
and woody materials.
• The dense network of fine roots
helps to armour the soil from
erosive forces and to trap and bind
soil particles together.
• Because mangrove soils are often
waterlogged and so have very low
oxygen content (anaerobic
conditions), much of this organic
matter accumulates, forming a layer
of peat that increases in thickness
over time.
• Mangroves reduce the height and energy of wind and swell waves passing
through them, reducing their ability to erode sediments and to cause
damage to structures such as dikes and sea walls.
• During rising tides, as the sea comes in, waves enter the mangrove forests.
They lose energy as they pass through the tangled above-ground roots and
branches and their height is rapidly diminished, by between 13 and 66%
over 100 m of mangroves.
• As this happens, waves lose their ability to scour the sea bed and carry
away sediments. Mangroves also reduce winds across the surface of the
water and this prevents the propagation or re-formation of waves.
• Waves are most rapidly reduced when they pass through a greater density
of obstacles. This means that mangroves with aerial roots attenuate wives
in shallow water more rapidly than those without.
• Tightly packed arching prop roots and low branches clearly present a more solid
obstacle waves than sparse areas with few or no serial roots. When the water gets
deeper, waves may pass above aerial roots, but then the lower branches or the
dense funds of the Asian Nypa palm can perform a similar function in obstructing
waves.
• Mangroves with a complex structure of dense aerial roots and low branches with
various species of different age and size, are most likely to be effective at reducing
wave heights.
 Mangrove reduce damage from large
storms
• Tropical storms, the largest of which are termed cyclones hurricanes or
typhoons, are widespread in many tropical and subtropical areas. Large waves,
raised sea levels (the storm surge), strong winds and torrential rainfall, can
cause widespread flooding, extensive damage and deaths.
• These storms form during the warmest parts of the year. hours or longer to pass
over any place.
• Their surges can carry a lot of debris, which can cause further damage. The
largest storms typically affect any particular area every few years or
decades.The surges are caused by high winds and low atmospheric pressure
allowing sea water to pile up as it approaches land.
• Mangroves may contribute to reducing
loss of life and damage to property from
storms and cyclones as they reduce the
impacts of waves, storm surges and high
winds.
• Waves: Mangroves can rapidly diminish
the height of wind and swell waves . Even
during relatively large storm surges the
leaves and branches of the forest canopy
will help to reduce wave energy providing
the trees are tall enough.
• Storm surges: Where mangroves are extensive they are able to reduce storm
surge water depths as the surge flows inland. While storm surge depths may
only be reduced by 5-50 cm per kilometre width of mangroves, nevertheless a
small reduction in water level can already greatly reduce the extent of flooding
in low lying areas behind the mangroves. Debris movement can also be
reduced by mangroves: the complex network of roots and branches can serve
to trap even large moving objects.
• High wind speeds: The dense mangrove forest canopies also reduce wind
speeds locally. This prevents further development of wind and swell waves in
and immediately behind the mangroves, potentially reducing damage to
nearby infrastructure. In the most severe storms, mangroves may themselves
be damaged or torn up by the high winds and waves, although breakage or
uprooting of mangrove trees is relatively rare.
 Mangrove can reduce Tsunami
damge
• Tsunamis are caused by earthquakes and landslides disturbing large masses of
water. The resulting tsunami waves can travel rapidly over very long distances
across the ocean. When tsunami waves approach land, they increase in height,
sometimes becoming several metres high at the shore. Tsunamis can result in
massive destruction and loss of life, as seen during the 2004 Asian tsunami. While
the water depths in both storm surges and tsunamis can be similar, tsunamis arrive
more quickly as one or a series of waves that may appear and flood an area in a
matter of seconds or minutes.
• There is growing evidence, particularly from the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami of
2004 that mangroves reduced tsunami impacts by reducing the destructive energy of
water flowing inland.
• Mangrove belts several hundred meters wide have been shown to reduce tsunami
height by between 5 and 30%, Wider mangrove forests are more effective at reducing
tsunami height, as well as speed of the water and the area flooded by the tsunami.
• Dense forest vegetation also helps to reduce tsunami depth and area of flooding.
However, large tsunamis (more than 4 m in depth) can damage mangroves,
eventually destroying them and making them less effective at reducing tsunami flows.
• The highest tsunami waves may be taller than mangrove trees, so that the incoming
water flows over them. Of course the same is true for engineered structures, which are
rarely built to the height of mangroves.
• Despite these limitations, mangroves can still be an important asset in many
settings. Even a modest reduction in the total area of inundation can already
reduce loss of lives and economic damage.
• Equally importantly, mangroves trap floating debris, and provide a safety net for
human victims caught up in the incoming flood or the returning waters.
Mangroves also enhance recovery by providing food, fuel wood and construction
wood directly after the event, when these resources may be scarce.
• Clearly the size of the tsunami is a major control on the ability of mangroves to
protect communities living behind the mangrove. A very large tsunami, arriving
with little or no warning, will be highly destructive. As with storm surges,
extensive areas of shallow-water near the coast produce larger tsunami waves
than steep off-shore slopes.
CONCLUSION
• Mangrove forests are essential for protecting coastal lines.
• They act as a natural barrier against storm surges, erosion, and sea-level rise.
• Recognition of mangrove value is crucial for promoting sustainable practices.
• Policies supporting mangrove preservation contribute to coastal community
resilience.
• Harmonious coexistence between human development and mangrove
preservation is achievable through collective efforts.
• Preserving mangrove ecosystems is vital for environmental health and the
well-being of future generations.
REFERENCE
• Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC): Look for official
documents or reports on coastal protection and mangrove conservation initiatives in India.

• National Institute of Oceanography (NIO): Explore research papers or publications related

to coastal ecology, mangrove ecosystems, and their role in shoreline protection.

• Forest Survey of India (FSI): Check for reports or data highlighting the importance of
mangrove forests in mitigating coastal erosion and promoting biodiversity.

• Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE): Search for studies or
publications on the ecological and environmental benefits of mangrove forests along the
Indian coastline.
Thank you