Mangrove forest degradation and shoreline erosion in the Mekong delta: a case study from Ben Tre province

Bijeesh Kozhikkodan Veettil, Ngo Xuan Quang, Nguyen Thi Kim Dung, Duong Quoc Bao, Tran Xuan-Linh, Hoang Nhat-Duc
Author affiliations

Authors

  • Bijeesh Kozhikkodan Veettil Institute of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, Duy Tan University, 6 Tran Nhat Duat Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
  • Ngo Xuan Quang Department of Environmental Management and Technology, Institute of Tropical Biology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 85 Tran Quoc Toan Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2587-1999
  • Nguyen Thi Kim Dung Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sciences, VNU-HCM, 227 Nguyễn Văn Cừ Street, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
  • Duong Quoc Bao Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sciences, VNU-HCM, 227 Nguyễn Văn Cừ Street, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
  • Tran Xuan-Linh Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, 3 Quang Trung Street, Hai Chau District, Da Nang, Viet Nam
  • Hoang Nhat-Duc Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, 3 Quang Trung Street, Hai Chau District, Da Nang, Viet Nam

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15625/2525-2518/16555

Keywords:

coastal erosion, bioshield, coastal protection, Ben Tre Province, mangroves.

Abstract

Viet Nam’s coastline faces many natural and human-induced threats, such as erosion, floods, sea-level changes, pollution and saltwater intrusion. Low lying deltas, such as the Mekong Delta and the Red River Delta of Viet Nam are frequently subjected to such threats. The present study investigated the degradation of mangrove forests and changes in shoreline along the coast of Ben Tre. For this purpose, we used spectral indices, such as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) for mapping mangrove vegetation and the normalized difference water index (NDWI) for estimating shoreline changes. The possibilities, advantages and limitations of coastal vegetation, such as mangroves, casuarina and pandanus, as a bioshield for shoreline protection in Ben Tre coast of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) were also discussed. The results show that coastal areas covered with newly planted mangroves showed reduced or no erosion. Currently, several hard structures have been used for short-term protection from coastal erosion in Ben Tre. For long-term coastal protection, the present study suggested an ecosystem-based adaptation using bioshield for Ben Tre coast. A combination of hard structures reinforced with bioshield is recommended for long-term and sustainable coastal protection in Ben Tre.

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References

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Published

01-11-2022

How to Cite

[1]
B. Kozhikkodan Veettil, Ngo Xuan Quang, Nguyen Thi Kim Dung, Duong Quoc Bao, Tran Xuan-Linh, and Hoang Nhat-Duc, “Mangrove forest degradation and shoreline erosion in the Mekong delta: a case study from Ben Tre province”, Vietnam J. Sci. Technol., vol. 60, no. 5, pp. 825–836, Nov. 2022.

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Section

Environment