Mangroves therefore influence the 

 pattern Of sedimentation, lull it is 

 difljewll to prove th;it they promote 

 more rapid accretion than would 

 otherwise have occurred. To do ibis, 

 it would he necessary to «nukc com- 

 parisons with rates of accretion 

 measured on similar shore sectors 

 unoccupied by mangroves. Unfor- 

 tunately, such sectors ate ohviouslv 

 ditTcrent in other respects, and it is 

 not possible to make such a com 

 parison. Where mangroves have died 

 back, or been cut away, the shore is 

 Often sandy rather than muddy, and 

 there may be active erosion ot the 

 sediment that had been buill up 

 beneath the former taaOgfoVe CQVWi 

 This implies that where mangroves 

 have become established they may 

 be responsible for mud accretion on 

 shores that might otherwise have 

 been sandy, or sub|ect to ero.ion 



Once established, a mangrove frj ns 

 tends to stabilise the terrain and j 

 pede erosion. 



Hie mangrove ecosystem produce, 

 organic materials (leaves, twigs, row 

 remains, shells, crab skeletons) Ujj 

 become incorporated with the under 

 lying sediment, and represent a dire, 

 accession of materials that would bfl 

 have been available in the absent, 

 ol mangroves. Ibis becomes miw 

 obvious towards the landward ni.ii. 

 gin ol the mangroves, where ver 

 slow mud accretion from infrequcr, 

 tidal Hooding is augmented by a s Ur 

 luce accumulation ol organic litter 

 At a higher level, in the Ariliav- 

 tu Hiitm and Sali<«ii\iti zones, the rat, 

 ot mud accretion is greatly exceedee 

 bv the accumulation of organ,; 

 tesidues in the lonn of a superfia. 

 librous peal. 



