Clearing mangroves makes ’muddification’ worse

(Image: Pixabay CC0) - Mangroves have been cut down in some parts of New Zealand, with the aim of reducing mud build-up and exposing the mud to currents and tides that can wash it out to sea. Widespread deforestation and farming was begun by European settlers in the late 19 Century in New Zealand, increasing the amount of sediment in rivers. Over many years, this has caused mud to build up in estuaries - providing habitat for mangroves to expand. But clearing those mangroves to stop estuaries getting clogged with mud actually makes the problem worse, new research shows. Mangrove removal causes estuaries to trap more mud, not less. Dr. Danghan Xie Lead author - Surprising results. We were surprised to find that mangrove removal increases muddification of estuaries,  says lead author Dr. Danghan Xie.