SPECIES COMPOSITION AND DISTRIBUTION CHARACTERISTICS OF MANGROVE FLORA ON THE THUA THIEN HUE COAST

Abstract

Mangroves at Ru Cha, Tan My tourist area, Bu Lu estuary and around Lap An coastal lagoon
constitute a mangrove flora that contributes to the biodiversity in the coastal region referred to as the
Thua Thien Hue (TT-Hue) coast. This paper presents a comprehensive description of the species
composition and distribution of the mangrove flora of the TT-Hue coast.
Analysis of survey data and GIS information identified approximately 30 hectares of mangroves in
the TT-Hue coast area. The area contains 50 mangrove species belonging to two phyla, 31 families
and 42 genera in the study area. Of these, three mangrove species were reported for the first time in
the Ru Cha and Bu Lu estuaries.
In terms of species diversity, the areas were ranked from most to least diverse in order Ru Cha, Tan
My, Bu Lu and Lap An.
These results become the quantitative basis for conservation and restoration strategies of these
important mangrove areas to protect and enhance the biodiversity and for the planning for climate
change adaptation to protect plant and human communities in the TT-Hue’s coastal area