Mangrove-dependent animals globally threatened
Wednesday, July 1, 2009 - 01:56
in Biology & Nature
More than 40 percent of a sample of amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds that are restricted to mangrove ecosystems are globally threatened with extinction, according to an assessment published in the July/August issue of BioScience. The study, by David A. Luther of the University of Maryland and Russell Greenberg of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Centre, was based on an extensive literature search and expert consultations. The conclusions emphasise the vulnerability of animals that are dependent on a habitat rapidly being lost or degraded through coastal development, overexploitation, pollution, and changes in sea level and salinity...