Abstract
The mangrove communities along the coastline of the former Transkei, now part of the Eastern Cape Province, have not been looked at in detail since Ward and Steinke’s survey in 1982. Mangroves previously occurred in 17 estuaries but were now found in only 14 of the 76 estuaries visited, with a complete loss of mangroves evident in the Mnyameni, Mzimvubu and Bulungula estuaries amounting to 7.5 ha. Total mangrove loss amounted to 17.6 ha which represents a 6.5% loss over 17 years or 1.04 ha per annum. Tree cover had increased by 16.15 ha in eight other estuaries. This increase could be attributed to the inaccessibility of mangrove stands or to protection afforded by provincial nature reserves and hotel resorts. No new mangrove stands were recorded, although Steinke (pers. comm.) has recently recorded mangroves along the north bank of the Kei River. There has been little change in mangrove species composition in the different estuaries over the past 17 years. Total mangrove loss amounted to 17.6 ha which represents a 6.5% loss over 17 years or 1.04 ha per annum and the species recorded included Avicennia marina, Bruguiera gymnorhiza and Rhizophora mucronata. The mangrove fern Acrostichum aureum L. was recorded for the first time in the Mkozi estuary. Tree density for all estuaries was between 10 and 2594 trees ha−1. The Mngazana and Mntafufu estuaries had the highest tree densities of 2594 and 1402 trees ha−1 respectively, typical of riverine mangrove forests. Fringe mangroves were evident in most other systems. Removal of trees for wood has the greatest impact on mangrove cover. Fringe mangrove stands are particularly accessible to harvesters. Only 6% of the current area of trees is afforded some protection in conservation areas. The Mdumbi, Mzamba and Kobonqaba estuaries receive no conservation protection and harvesting has resulted in more than 50% of the trees being removed. The density of dead tree stumps was greater than the number of living trees and no seedlings or juvenile trees were found. Further removal of mangroves within the estuaries south of the Mzimvubu River is expected in the fringe mangroves, as most are unprotected and easily accessible.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arnold T.H. and De Wet B.C. 1993. Plants of Southern Africa: Names and Distribution. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa, No. 62.
F. Blasco M. Gauquelin J. Rasolofoharinoro M. Denis V. Caldairou (1998) ArticleTitleRecent advances in mangrove studies using remote sensing data Marine and Freshwater Research 49 287–286
P. Bryant (1998) Coastal Zone Ecosystems Structure and Functions: Mangroves Institute for Tropical Forestry publication Puerto Rico, USA
T.G. Cole K.C. Ewel N.N. Devoe (1999) ArticleTitleStructure of mangrove trees and forests in Micronesia Forest Ecology and Management 117 95–109
Cowling R.M. and Hilton-Taylor C. 1996. Patterns of Plant Diversity and Endemism in Southern Africa: an Overview. Strelitzia 1.
F. Dahdouh-Geubas M. Verneirt J.F. Tack N. Koedam (1997) ArticleTitleFood preference of Neosarmatium meinerti de Man (decapoda; Sesarminae) and its possible effect on the regeneration of mangroves Hydrobiologia 347 83–89 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1003015201186
F. Dierberg W. Kiattisimkul (1996) ArticleTitleIssues, impacts, and implications of shrimp aquaculture in Thailand Environmental Management 20 649–666
A.H. Dye (1977) ArticleTitleEpibenthic algal production in the Swartkops estuary Zoologica Africana 13 157–161
A.H. Dye (1978) ArticleTitleAspects of the ecology of meiofauna in Mngazana estuary, Transkei South African Journal of Zoology 14 67–73
A.H. Dye (1983) ArticleTitleVertical and horizontal distribution of meiofauna in mangrove sediments in Transkei, Southern Africa Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 16 591–598
A.H. Dye (1983) ArticleTitleComposition and seasonal fluctuations of meiofauna in a southern African mangrove estuary Marine Biology 73 165–170
W.D. Emmerson L.E. McGwynne (1992) ArticleTitleFeeding and assimilation of mangrove leaves by the crab Sesarma meinerti de Man in relation to leaf litter production in Mngazana, a warm-temperate southern African mangrove swamp Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 157 41–53
K.C. Ewel J.E. Ong R.R. Twilley (1998) ArticleTitleDifferent kinds of mangrove swamps provide different goods and services Global Ecology and Biogeography Letters 7 83–94
A.J. Gilbert R. Janssen (1998) ArticleTitleUse of environmental functions to communicate the values of a mangrove ecosystem under different management regimes Ecological Economics 25 232–346
Harrison T.D., Cooper J.A.G. and Singh R.A. 1999. Application of the Estuarine Health Index to South Africa’s Estuaries, Transkei. Executive Report, CSIR (Water, Environment and Forestry technology).
A. Lugo S. Snedaker (1974) ArticleTitleThe ecology of mangroves Annual Review of Ecological Systematics 5 39–64
W. MacNae (1963) ArticleTitleMangrove swamps in South Africa Journal of Ecology 51 1–25
N. Marshall (1994) ArticleTitleMangrove conservation in relation to overall environmental consideration Hydrobiologia 285 303–309
E. Medina M. Francisco (1997) ArticleTitleOsmolality and 13C of leaf tissues of mangroves from environments of contrasting rainfall and salinity Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 45 337–344
E.J. Moll C.J. Ward T.D. Steinke K.H. Cooper (1971) ArticleTitleOur mangroves threatened African Wildlife 26 103–107
E.E. Plumstead (1990) ArticleTitleChanges in ichthyofaunal diversity and abundance within the Mbashe estuary, Transkei, following construction of a river barrage South African Journal of Marine Science 9 399–407
E.E. Plumstead J.F. Prinsloo H.J. Schoonbee (1985) ArticleTitleA survey of fish fauna of Transkei estuaries. Part 1. The Kei River estuary South African Journal of Zoology 20 213–220
E.E. Plumstead J.F. Prinsloo H.J. Schoonbee (1989) ArticleTitleA survey of fish fauna of Transkei estuaries. Part 1. The Mtata estuary South African Journal of Marine Science 9 399–407
E.E. Plumstead J.F. Prinsloo H.J. Schoonbee (1989) ArticleTitleAsurvey of fish fauna of Transkei estuaries. Part 2. TheMbashe estuary South African Journal of Zoology 24 273–281
E.E. Plumstead J.F. Prinsloo H.J. Schoonbee (1991) ArticleTitleA survey of fish fauna of Transkei estuaries. Part 4. The Mtata estuary South African Journal of Zoology 26 153–163
J.H. Primavera (1991) ArticleTitleIntensive prawn farming in the Philippines: ecological, social and economic implications Ambio 20 28–33
T. Riddin (1999) The Botanical Importance of the Nhlabane Estuary, South Africa University of Port Elizabeth South Africa
W.D. Robertson (1996) ArticleTitleAbundance, population structure and size at maturity of Scylla serrata (Forskaål) (Decapoda: Portunidae) in Eastern Cape estuaries, South Africa South African Journal of Zoology 31 177–185
P. Saenger M.F. Bellan (1995) The Mangrove Vegetation of the Atlantic Coast of Africa University of Toulouse Publication Toulouse, France
A.K. Semesi (1992) ArticleTitleDeveloping management plans for the mangrove forest reserves of mainland Tanzania Hydrobiologia 247 1–10
P. Sheridan (1997) ArticleTitleBenthos of adjacent mangrove, seagrass and non vegetated habitats in Rookery Bay, Florida, USA Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 44 455–469
S.C. Snedaker (1978) ArticleTitleMangroves: their value and perpetuation Nature and Resources 14 6–13
M.D. Spalding F. Blasco C. Field (Eds) (1997) World Mangrove Atlas The International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME) Okinawa, Japan
T.D. Steinke (1999) Mangroves in South African estuaries B.R. Allanson D. Baird (Eds) Estuaries of South Africa Cambridge University Press Cambridge, United Kingdom 119–140
T.D. Steinke C.J. Ward (1990) ArticleTitleLitter production by mangroves. III. Wavecrest, Transkei, South Africa, with predictions for other Transkei estuaries South African Journal of Botany 56 514–519
N.F.Y. Tam C.Y.L. Yuk-Shan Wong R. Berry (1997) ArticleTitleMapping and characterization of mangrove plant communities in Hong Kong Hydrobiologia 352 25–37
I. Valiela J.L. Bowen J.K. York (2001) ArticleTitleMangroves forests: one of the World’s threatened major tropical environments BioScience 51 807–815
C.J. Ward T.D. Steinke (1982) ArticleTitleA note on the distribution and approximate areas of mangroves in South Africa South African Journal of Botany 3 51–53
E. Wolanski S. Spagnol S. Thomas K. Moore D.M. Alongi L. Trott A. Davidson (2000) ArticleTitleModelling and visualizing the fate of shrimp pond effluent in a mangrove-fringed tidal creek Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 50 85–97
T.H. Wooldridge (1974) A Study of the Zooplankton of Two Pondoland Estuaries University of Port Elizabeth Port Elizabeth, South Africa
T.H. Wooldridge (1977) ArticleTitleThe zooplankton of Mngazana estuary, a mangrove estuary in Transkei, Southern Africa Zoologica Africana 12 307–322
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Adams, J.B., Colloty, B.M. & Bate, G.C. The distribution and state of mangroves along the coast of Transkei, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Wetlands Ecol Manage 12, 531–541 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-005-5165-0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-005-5165-0