Science publishes alert from Maranhão about the role of Brazilian mangroves in climate change | Maranhão

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The study indicates that a file Brazil is the second largest country in the world in terms of mangrove forest areaIt is second only to Indonesia. The country also has the largest continuous area of ​​mangroves, which lie between the coasts of Barra and Maranhão. The ecosystem serves as food security for fish and birds, as well as am natural carbon dioxide “flash”.

“Our publication aims to draw the attention of the international community to the great capacity that Brazilian mangroves have to sequester and store carbon dioxide (the main greenhouse gas produced by human activities) in ‘clay’ (so-called random mangrove soils),” explains Denilson Bezerra, researcher at Department of Oceanography and Lake Science at the UFMA.

Forest care but with an emphasis on mangroves

According to scientists, Brazilian mangroves alone collect 3% to 8% of the carbon on the planet. As a solution, the group proposes creating a government monitoring program, using police force, to prevent deforestation in mangrove areas.

“The inclusion of Brazilian mangroves in the National Strategy to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) can make Brazil an international reference in the fight against climate change. As we argue in our publication, the Brazilian government establishes and implements an official program for Constant monitoring of changes in mangrove areas (as in the Amazon and Cerrado, for example), which do not currently exist.”

The message also reinforces the warning that new changes in legislation may reduce the protection of this ecosystem, such as 2020 resolutions, The National Environment Council (Kunama), which has imposed restrictions on deforestation and occupation in conservation areas with local vegetation, such as sandbanks and mangroves. In 2021, resolutions are canceled after A decision of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) ruled the rules unconstitutional.

“It was already known that mangroves were among the most important ecosystems in the world as carbon sinks. In our work, what we can highlight is the significant importance of Brazilian mangroves to this carbon stock and that their conservation, avoiding deforestation, can act to mitigate the effects of climate change. climate, as protectors of the coast,” said oceanographer Flavia Muchel.

“In this case, in particular, I would like to stress the importance of working to restore degraded mangrove forests to recreate this ecosystem in deforested areas. Restoring the environment by planting and growing seedlings leads to increased carbon. The researcher concludes that this role “in The final calculation of the “carbon stock is basic”.

All universities in Maranhão (UFMA, UEMA, UEMASul, UniCEUMA and IFMA) participated in the research, as well as out-of-state research institutions such as the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and the Center for Research Monitoring and Disaster Warning. Natural (CEMADEN). are they:

• Denilson da S. Bezerra, from the Federal University of Maranhão
• Adriano de Lima Santos, from the Federal University of Maranhão
• Janina Santos Bezerra, from the Federal University of Maranhão
• Silvana Amaral, National Institute for Space Research
• Milton Campbell of the National Institute for Space Research
• Liana Anderson of the Center for Natural Disaster Monitoring and Alert
• Flávia Rebelo Mochel, from the Federal University of Maranhão
• Jorge Luiz Silva Nunes, from the Federal University of Maranhão
• Naila Arias de Araujo, from the Federal University of Maranhão
• Larissa Nascimento Barreto from the Federal University of Maranhão
• Maria de SS Pinheiro, from the Federal University of Maranhão
• Marcio Jose Celeri, from the Federal University of Maranhão
• Fabricio B Silva, from the University of Sioma
• Alexsandro Mendonça Viegas, from School of Government in Maranhão
• Stella Manes, from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
• Taissa CS Rodrigues, from Tocantina Regional State University in Maranhão
• Josué C. Viegas from the University of Coimbra
• Ulysses de Ví Souza, of the University College of the Federal University of Maranhão
• André LS Santos, from the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology in the Master
• Celso HL Silva Jr., from Maranhão State University

According to the scientists, the next step is to complete the research conducted by student Adriano de Lima Santos (Masters student in Development and Environment / PRODEMA at UFMA), entitled “The potential of mangroves in the coastal region of Maranhão to mitigate climate change”, in which unprecedented data is generated on Insulation capacity and modifications in mangrove areas of Maranhão. Scheduled for publication in July 2022.