WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS
A field study built a locally calibrated soil-health index comparing four land-use settings. Intact mangroves and mangroves neighboring shrimp farms scored 67% and 64% of the study's reference capacity, while converted shrimp-farm and pasture sites scored 52% and 32%. Detecting subtle neighboring degradation required more indicators than detecting severe conversion.
WHY IT MATTERS / OUR READ
Belowground functions can change before mapped forest cover does. Managers should select monitoring indicators and reference states matched to local ecosystem processes.
CAVEATS / UNCERTAINTY
These percentages are relative to this study's own indicator framework, not worldwide service-loss estimates or a universally validated mangrove-health scale.
SOURCE
Wetlands — Mello et al., 26 June 2026
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