The Maldives, famous worldwide for their crystal clear waters and their rich coral biodiversity, hide a secret known by few: mangroves, forests capable of living with their roots immersed in sea water capable of protecting the coasts from erosion and mitigating the impacts of natural disasters such as tsunamis, to absorb carbon dioxide, one of the main gases capable of causing the greenhouse effect, to act as a refuge for numerous species of crustaceans, molluscs and fish that hide among the roots of mangroves immersed in water to escape to large predators. It may seem strange but it is the same strategy used by various species of sharks which, when small, are also possible prey for large fish such as barracudas and find refuge right among the roots of the mangroves.
In the holiday paradise archipelago, the presence of mangroves, the forests with roots in sea water that protect the coasts from erosion, was almost ignored. A project coordinated by the Bicocca University of Milan is re-evaluating them
To date scientific knowledge of these fragile ecosystems is scarce and fragmented and risks disappearing within a few years due to infrastructural development, of plastic pollution and land conversion. Mangroves have played a crucial role in the survival of the Maldivian inhabitants in the past, for example their fruit was one of the few foods available during the Second World War. These places are still used to produce the ropes used on boats, a job carried out by women who soak coconut fibers in brackish water which are subsequently processed to produce ropes used in boats all over the world.
The mapping
The task force made up of researchers from the University of Milan Bicocca, Acquario di Genova, the Maldives National University and the University of Dubai, coordinated by the University of Milan
has recently published the first scientific review on the state of. in the prestigious journal Aquatic Sciences health and conservation of these ecosystems endangered by climate change and human disturbance. The study revealed the presence of 14 different species of mangroves, one of which, the Bruguiera hainesii, in danger of extinction. For the first time it was possible to map the presence of mangroves in 108 Maldivian islands out of a total of approximately 1,200 islands that make up the Maldivian archipelago.
Active biomolecules
The task force intends to study mangroves from different aspects with a multidisciplinary approach. First we will try to identify the islands that hold the last unexplored mangroves so that all actions can be taken to make them protected areas. Another project involves the research of active biomolecules for use in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields. From plants that have been able to evolve in such extreme environments as those in which mangroves live, we expect the presence of molecules capable of protecting them, for example, from fungi or parasites: the same molecules could have roles in the field of safeguarding human health . Specific attention is also given to the study of biodiversity in all its facets: identification of algae, aquatic organisms such as crustaceans and fish, and the study in particular of the use of these areas by baby sharks. Research will be carried out by the University of Dubai which will estimate the risk of sea level rise thanks to its Engineering department
Ligurian extension
A further project will be carried out at the Genoa Aquarium where an exhibition tank has been used as a mangrove ecosystem
which will not only have dissemination functions, continuing the process of transforming the Aquarium from an exhibition-educational-recreational space to a research space as well: «We want each tank», explains Dr. Silvia Lavorano of the Genoa Aquarium, « a project relating to issues of protection and conservation of a species or ecosystem is associated”. The interior of the tank will have areas dedicated to the growth of plants in a controlled environment, thus allowing us to better understand the conditions that lead to the greatest development success: once learned, the same conditions can be reproduced in nurseries in the Maldives in order to produce plants to be reintroduced into nature through a habitat restoration process.
The lab
The task force also intends to expand its studies in the mangrove forests present in the United Arab Emirates: in-depth studies have also begun in these areas thanks to the support of the University of Dubai and collaboration agreements that are about to be established with the local authorities involved in protection of these important ecosystems. An important role was played by the honorary consul of Italy in the Maldives, Giorgia Marazzi, who made it possible to facilitate meetings at governmental and local level. The multidisciplinary project is made possible by the presence in the Maldives of the MaRHE Center of the Bicocca University, which since its inception in 2009 has carried out research in various fields of marine ecology, including the study of coral reefs and their restoration to the study of the seabed by geologists, hosting hundreds of researchers from the most prestigious universities over the years, including MIT and Cambridge University, becoming a source of pride for Italy.
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