Tackling Mangrove Protection Challenges in Thailand

The Value of Mangrove Ecosystems

Mangroves, trees and shrubs that flourish in salty tropical, subtropical, and warm-temperate coastal waters, form lush swaths of forests that serve important ecological and economic functions. Mangroves are specifically adapted to tolerate harsh coastal saline conditions that restrict the survival of most other vegetation. Through their unique resilience, mangroves support the creation of diverse and dynamic ecosystems, shelter coastal areas from storms, mitigate flooding risks, reduce erosion, and support the livelihood of local communities.

Protecting and Enriching Coastal Regions

Mangrove forests, by virtue of their expansiveness and extensive root and branch systems, act as a natural buffer from the devastating effects of extreme weather.^1,2 Moreover, the elaborate root system of mangrove forests mitigates soil loss by preventing erosion and encouraging the deposition of soil, which further increases mangroves’ storm buffering effects. When combined with coastal protective structures such as seawalls or levees, mangroves are extremely effective at mitigating flooding, particularly in low-lying regions along the coast. According to some studies, the world’s mangroves protect 15 million people globally from devastating flooding each year.^1-3

Moreover, mangroves are one of the world’s most active carbon cycling ecosystems.⁴ The carbon storage capacity of mangrove forests surpasses that of other terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, including rainforests and saltmarshes.⁵ With this significant ability to sequester carbon, mangroves play a critical role in environmental conservation efforts.

Supporting Local Communities

The richness and diversity of mangrove ecosystems stems from their ability to retain nutrients and sediments, providing lush breeding grounds for diverse species of aquatic life, including fish and other seafood. These natural resources increase food security for coastal communities and other resources such as timber, honey, fuel, and nipa palm leaves, enabling the sustainable livelihood and economic stability of these communities.^6,7

Mangroves also attract recreation and tourism, with boating, wildlife watching, hiking, and fishing ranking at the top of the list of visitor activities.⁸ As an industry, mangrove tourism generates billions of dollars in revenue but is also considered a threat. Unrestricted activities such as hotel construction, tour boat cruises, and pollution threaten mangrove ecosystems and biodiversity along with other unsustainable human activities, such as widescale logging, palm oil, rice, and shrimp farming, charcoal production, and urban development. As such, there is a need to mitigate the degradation of mangroves and ensure their preservation.

The Importance of Protecting Mangroves

Mangrove forests serve important roles in protecting coastal communities from natural disasters, including severe storms, strong waves, and soil erosion.^1,2 They also act as breeding grounds and nurseries for aquatic life, including young fish, mollusks, shrimp, and crabs that seek refuge and sustenance in this lush ecosystem. Coastal fishing communities depend on the health of mangrove forests to maintain food security and sustain their livelihoods.⁶

Consequences of Mangrove Forest Destruction

The destruction of mangrove forests due to unsustainable use of land and natural resources has ongoing negative consequences for mangrove ecosystems and, in turn, coastal communities. For example, in Thailand, local communities struggle with decreases in agricultural areas, collapsing shorelines, dwindling marine life, and the resulting need to relocate. Somchai Nuanmok, a fisherman living in Bangkok’s Bang Khun Thian beach district who runs a shrimp farm described the situation as dire. “I’ve been living here with my parents for about 60 years, since I was born. If there’s no mangroves, native’s living life will be tough. Ten years ago, the mangrove forest was much healthier,” he said. “It was much easier to catch crabs and other creatures. There were plenty of them. Nowadays, the waves hit the shore until the bank collapsed. Agriculture areas have decreased by 10 rais [4 acres]. The collapsing is getting closer and closer, so people have to move out.”

Protecting Mangrove Forests

There is a pressing need to protect and restore these vital ecosystems. Various programs have been implemented at national and local levels in Thailand with significant gains, but there remain limitations and unaddressed opportunities to conserve and restore mangrove forests.^9,10 “Over the past 50 years, I think more than 60 percent of the mangrove forests were destroyed, and the conservation programs and the restoration programs have been carried out without considering genetic factors or genetic diversity,” said Wirulda Pootakham, head of the Genomic Research Lab at Thailand’s National Omics Center.

As a result, researchers study the genetic diversity of existing mangrove forests to address outstanding issues in mangrove protection. Monitoring genetic diversity serves as an indicator of mangrove forest health. If the diversity of mangrove species is critically low, entire populations of mangroves become highly susceptible to collapse. Pootakham and her colleagues collaborate with Thailand’s Department of Marine and Coastal Resources to preserve the genetic diversity of mangrove species as part of mangrove forest protection efforts. “There are 81 species of mangroves in Thailand. The main ones are Sonneratia, Rhizophora, Ceriops, and Bruguiera. They grow mostly in the southern part, in the intertidal zone and estuary,” Pootakham said. “There are two main ecosystems for Thailand. Fishery remains [dependent] on mangrove forests. Coral reefs as well. If we don’t protect these two ecosystems, eventually it’s going to affect our fishery and the quality of life in general.”

Together with outreach initiatives that educate the public on the importance of mangrove genetic diversity, such research is vital to preserving and restoring these vital ecosystems for generations to come.

Leveraging Genomics Technology for Mangrove Protection

Thanks to technological advances in genome sequencing, Thailand’s National Omics Center is making significant progress in implementing their vital mangrove genome project to protect and rescue mangrove forests.^11,12 The rationale behind this effort is to evaluate the genetic diversity of Thai mangrove species by creating a reference genome for future conservation efforts. “Five years ago, we were approached by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources. They are trying to protect the mangrove forests and maintain the genetic diversity among the species that we study,” said Pootakham. “Since we obtained the genome database, we are able to assess the level of genetic diversity more accurately using DNA data instead of morphological evaluation. Some of the species have really low genetic diversity levels.” With this information at hand, researchers and conservationists can focus their efforts on preserving the most vulnerable mangrove forests to prevent ecosystem collapse.

High-Throughput Sequencing Technology

These advances are made possible through cutting-edge sequencing technology. For example, MGI Tech’s DNBSEQ-G400RS sequencing platform, which Pootakham and her colleagues use for the mangrove genome project, enables restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq). Sonicha U-thoomporn, a research assistant in Pootakham’s lab, explained the importance of sequencing technology for studying mangrove DNA. “Sequencing is very necessary for our research. Using techniques like RAD-Seq [Restriction Site Associate DNA Sequencing], we can identify and study specific genetic markers in mangroves. We apply the RAD-Seq technology using MGI to our mangrove projects,” U-thoomporn said. Jeremy Shearman, a senior researcher in Pootakham’s lab added that “We wanted to do restriction enzyme sequencing so that we can identify how much genetic variation exists across the populations all over Thailand. From the Chao Phraya River outlet all the way down to the south.”

MGI’s technology improves extraction workflow efficiency by enabling data generation on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)—genetic variation in individual DNA nucleotides that serves as critical information for identifying and studying mangrove biodiversity. Pootakham is excited about the rapid advances in sequencing technology. “The output from sequencers have increased tremendously. The cost of sequencing has come down a lot, so we can do a larger study,” she said.

Technological Versatility

Harnessing the versatility of MGI’s DNBSEQ-G400 technology, Pootakham and her team also pursue other experiments to further their understanding of mangroves. “We also…do RNA sequencing, and that is to try to understand the gene expression required for some of the mangrove species to be able to grow in salt water—what sort of genes or pathways have to be turned on for them to be able to grow in such a high level of sodium,” Pootakham said.

The mangrove genome project serves as an important reminder of raising awareness of variances in mangrove species vulnerability and how this contributes to preserving the biodiversity and overall health of mangrove forests. “I hope that what we learned from using the new technology to look at the diversity at the DNA level will allow us to help the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources to restructure some of their restoration and conservation programs and take into account the genetic diversity level,” Pootakham said. “People weren’t really aware which species are going to become extinct first because they didn’t really know the level of genetic diversity at the DNA level. Our studies actually reveal that information, and so it sort of prioritized which species to save first.”

Supporting Global Environmental Protection Efforts

Enhancing mangrove protection efforts by harnessing the power of cutting-edge sequencing technology serves as an elegant case study for wider conservation efforts. MGI’s advanced sequencing technology supports broad worldwide sustainable development and environmental protection initiatives. With a solid base of core tools, MGI is keeping pace with some of the most pressing global environmental issues and partnering with scientists who use the technology to overcome research challenges and generate and apply knowledge towards viable solutions.

Improving Water Quality and Food Safety

The safety of global food chains depends on water safety. Among the foundational aspects of addressing water safety issues and maintaining clean water supplies is tackling the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in natural or engineered aquatic environments. To support this effort, MGI partnered with the University of Adelaide and the University of Queensland in Australia to improve water and food safety. The collaboration uses MGI’s sequencing technology to enable tracking of antibiotic resistance genes and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in aquatic environments in order to capture early signals of contamination or resistance and mitigate environmental spread. Such genomic surveillance initiatives contribute to safeguarding human health by preventing foodborne illnesses. The scalability and cost effectiveness of this approach underscores a forward-looking vision to apply these efforts globally, including in resource-poor locations.

Promoting Seaweed Biodiversity

MGI is also collaborating with Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and the International Tropic Seaweed Research Center to promote seaweed biodiversity. Seaweed contributes to the health of marine ecosystems and is a significant contributor to the livelihoods of coastal communities, as well as the national economy. In 2019, almost ten million tons of seaweed was produced in Indonesia, second only to China.¹³ As a result, preserving the diversity of seaweed species in the face of unsustainable development practices and environmental influences is a growing priority.

Similar to the mangrove biodiversity research in Thailand, MGI’s seaweed biodiversity collaboration in Indonesia is committed to sustaining marine biodiversity and preserving a vital natural resource. For this project, MGI’s genomic sequencing platform will be used to catalogue, track, and preserve seaweed species for ongoing research and conservation efforts. The approach is part of a larger endeavor to build a dedicated research space that will develop seaweed species storage and sequencing storage capabilities.

Nitinai Sising, a sales associate at MGI, is excited about empowering projects that utilize the company’s high-throughput genomic sequencing technology in innovative ways. “I think…[MGI’s technology has] higher precision, good technology, as well as a reasonable price,” he said.

References

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2. Menéndez P, et al. The global flood protection benefits of mangroves. Sci Rep. 2020;10:1–11.

3. Sunkur R, et al. Mangroves’ role in supporting ecosystem-based techniques to reduce disaster risk and adapt to climate change: A review. J Sea Research. 2023;196:102449.

4. Adame MF, et al. Deconstructing the mangrove carbon cycle: Gains, transformation, and losses. Ecosphere. 2024;15(3):e4806.

5. Alongi DM. Carbon cycling and storage in mangrove forests. Annu Rev Mar Sci. 2014;6:195–219.

6. Bimrah K, et al. Ecosystem services of mangroves: A systematic review and synthesis of contemporary scientific literature. Sustainability. 2022;14(19):12051.

7. Cheablam O, Chanklap B. Sustainable Nipa Palm (Nypa fruticans Wurmb.) Product utilization in Thailand. Scientifica. 2020;1:3856203.

8. Spalding M, Parrett CL. Global patterns in mangrove recreation and tourism. Mar Policy. 2019;110:103540.

9. Chaiklang P, et al. Reviewing changes in mangrove land use over the decades in Thailand: Current responses and challenges. Trees For People. 2024;17:100630.

10. Lovelock CE, et al. Tackling the mangrove restoration challenge. PLoS Biol. 2022;20(10):e3001836.

11. Shearman JR, et al. Assembly of a hybrid mangrove, Bruguiera hainesii, and its two ancestral contributors, Bruguiera cylindrica and Bruguiera gymnorhiza. Genomics. 2022;114(3):110382.