Significance of Avicennia Marina in the Arabian Gulf Environment: A Review

<p dir="ltr">Mangroves are ecologically important and highly productive intertidal plants that thrive in saline to brackish environments in tropical and subtropical shallow-water habitats. <i>Avicennia marina</i> is the only mangrove species found in the Arabian Gulf (hereafter the ‘Gulf’) coastal region, marking the northernmost boundary of mangroves in the Indo-Pacific region. This species predominantly inhabits sandy substrate with low organic content and is recognized for its high tolerance to extreme temperature and salinity variations. It has also proved its resilience to the impact of the Gulf War oil spill. Despite these challenges, mangrove ecosystems in this region continue to provide critical ecosystem services, sustaining biodiversity, livelihood support, climate change mitigation, and recreational opportunities. However, in the past two decades Gulf mangroves have been facing significant threats, including extensive coastal development, shoreline modification by establishing marinas and ports, and climate change-associated impacts such as sea-level rise and altered precipitation patterns, which pose significant risks to this fragile ecosystem. These challenges endanger mangrove ecosystems’ structure and productivity and present immediate and long-term risks to associated species and ecosystem services. However, recent years have witnessed successful mangrove restoration projects, leading to expansion and notable ecological advantages, including increased biodiversity and improved shoreline protection. This review addresses the current knowledge gap by providing an overview of Avicennia marina distribution in the Gulf, exploring the significance of its ecosystem services, analyzing the impacts of stressors, and examining conservation and restoration efforts, with attention to nature-based and biotechnological approaches for promoting mangrove growth and conservation in the Gulf.</p><h2>Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Wetlands<br>License: <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0" target="_blank">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13157-025-01899-8" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13157-025-01899-8</a></p>