DIFFERENT KINDS OF MANGROVE FORESTS PROVIDE DIFFERENT GOODS AND SERVICES

The goods and services that mangrove forests provide to society are wi dely understood but may be too generally stated to serve as useful gui delines in decision-making. Understanding the differences between frin ge, riverine, and basin forests map help to focus these guidelines and to determine the best use of a particular forest. Fringe mangroves ar e important primarily for shoreline protection. Riverine forests, whic h are likely to be the most productive of the three types of forests, are particularly important to animal and plant productivity, perhaps b ecause of high nutrient concentrations associated with sediment trappi ng. Basin forests serve as nutrient sinks for both natural and anthrop ogenically enhanced ecosystem processes and are often important source s of wood products. Exploitation of a forest for one particular reason may make it incapable of providing other goods and services.