IUCN Red List of Ecosystems, Mangroves of the Java Transitional

Frida Sidik, Dhira Saputra, Yaya Ihya Ulumuddin, Ena Suarez

Mangroves of the Java Transitional is a regional ecosystem subgroup (level 4 unit of the IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology). It includes the marine ecoregions of Southern Java and Cocos-Keeling/Christmas Island. The Java Transitional mangrove province mapped extent in 2020 was 159.9 km2, representing 0.1% of the global mangrove area. The biota is characterized by 34 species of true mangroves. Java Transitional mangroves are mostly distributed in Lampung Bay and the southern coast of Java, including the lagoonal mangroves in Central and East Java and mangrove forests in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ujung Kulon. The main threats to mangroves are anthropogenic activities, such as mangrove conversion aquaculture ponds and human settlement. Invasive species is also reported as threat in this region.
Today the Java Transitional mangroves cover ~65% less than our broad estimation for 1970. However, the mangrove net area change has been 3.7% since 1996. If this trend continues an overall change of 13.1% is projected over the next 50 years. Furthermore, under a high sea level rise scenario (IPCC RCP8.5) ≈-19% of the Java Transitional mangroves would be submerged by 2060. Moreover, 1.4 % of the province’s mangrove ecosystem is undergoing degradation, with the potential to increase to 4.1% within a 50-year period, based on a vegetation index decay analysis. Overall, the Java Transitional mangrove ecosystem is assessed as Vulnerable (VU).