Are local reefs subjected to increased siltation and/or increasingly turbid waters?
If coastal coral reefs are increasingly subjected to siltation and the water visibility is decreasing, it is likely due to the loss of mangroves combined with increased erosion from land-based activities. Mangrove removal or other types of land clearing activities and coastal development all contribute to higher rates of siltation of reefs. • Is there coastal development near mangroves? The closer coastal developments are to mangrove forests, the more threatened those mangroves may be to land clearing for more development. • Are there local logging industries? Local forestry activities in tropical areas of the world target mangrove forests. The presence of logging industries in coastal areas may suggest that mangroves are being removed.
