Tracking mangrove restoration using a biogeochemical soil health index and ecosystem service indicators.

ABSTRACT: Mangrove forests provide critical soil-related ecosystem services (ES), including carbon sequestration, contaminant retention, and nutrient cycling-all closely linked to soil health. However, land-use change and pollution increasingly threaten mangrove soils, compromising their functionality and ES provision. To reverse these impacts, effective strategies must begin with robust assessments of soil health using key indicators that also reflect ecosystem functions. Despite their importance, soil health indexing methods for mangroves remain underdeveloped. This study proposes a soil health index (SHI) for mangrove ecosystems, applied in northeastern Brazil across degraded, restoring (9 and 13 years), and mature forests. We assessed variables linked to biogeochemical processes governing carbon

SUBMITTER: Jimenez LCZ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12789120 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature