The massive tsunami waves in 2004 was an eye-opener for Sri Lanka and other island nations to assess the efficacy of existing coastal protection strategies. It was evident that hard engineering structures have failed to withstand the destructive forces of the tsunami wave but the patches of mangroves and the other coastal vegetation, comprised mainly of mangroves and Pandanus odoratissimus have resisted them. Vegetation structure is a salient factor that contributes to the reduction of the impact of natural disturbances. The current study highlights that mangrove parameters such as canopy, trunk, and complex root system and wave parameters such incident wave height and inundation distance play vital role in mangroves-induced wave attenuation. The mangrove plant communities comprised of Avicennia marina, Ceriops tagal, Excoecaria agallocha and, Rhizophora mucronata evidently, have served as natural coastal barriers and contribute to mitigate impacts of natural disturbances such as tsunamis and tropical storms.

Wasana de Silva , Mala Damayanthi Amarasinghe

Journal of Coastal Conservation 

Abstract:- https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-023-00990-8