Creation of a high spatiotemporal resolution global database of continuous mangrove forest cover for the 21st Century (CGMFC-21)

To provide high resolution local, regional, national, and global estimates of annual mangrove forest levels from 2000 through to 2012 with the goal of driving mangrove research questions pertaining to biodiversity, carbon, climate change, functionality, food security, livelihoods, fisheries support, and conservation that have been impeded until now by a lack of suitable data. We synthesize the Global Forest Change database, the Terrestrial Ecosystems of the World database, and Mangrove Forests of the World database to extract mangrove forest cover at high spatial and temporal resolutions. We then use the new database to monitor mangrove cover at the global, national, and protected area levels. Countries…