Mangrove forests are rebounding worldwide, offering carbon storage and coastal protection for Louisiana

A new Tulane University study published in Science shows mangrove forests are expanding globally for the first time in decades. After losing nearly 2,900 square kilometers between the 1980s and 2010, mangroves have reversed that decline over the past 16 years. Warming temperatures are driving black mangrove species northward into Louisiana, where their dense root systems help slow coastal erosion and store significant amounts of carbon dioxide. Louisiana researchers are studying how mangroves alter coastal ecosystems, from microscopic organisms to fisheries. The trees offer a nature-based solution for climate mitigation by locking away carbon that would otherwise enter the atmosphere. Scientists at Tulane's Mangrove Lab and LSU's Wetland and Biogeochemistry Lab are tracking these changes to understand how mangroves can support restoration efforts along the Gulf Coast.