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Climate change is expected to alter existing coastal habitats in Grenada, jeopardizing the island's mangroves, such as through the conversion of basin mangroves to fringe habitats as storm surges open barrier beaches, increasing tidal action and flood duration.
Likewise, incremental sea level rise and storm overwash can lead to increased salinity within coastal ponds, backwaters, and estuaries.
Each of these processes, acting alone or in concert, can greatly affect colonization by all mangrove species that occur in the region.
Climate-induced changes and human development are expected to affect the long-term distribution of mangrove forest types and the researchers suggest, must be considered in long-term conservation and management planning to ensure protection of the diversity of both existing and potential future mangrove habitats and the varied ecosystem functions and values that each provide.
