The Role of Hydrodynamics in the Development of Mangrove Forests in Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam)

The Can Gio area once supported natural mangrove forest, but was almost fully destroyed by herbicides during the Second Indochina War. Between 1978 and 1986, the area was reforested with mangroves. In 2000, Can Gio was designated as Vietnam's first biosphere reserve with a total area of 75,740 ha by UNESCO. The aim of research is to study the role of hydrodynamics in the development of mangrove forests in Can Gio. By using remote sensing techniques, the temporal changes of Can Gio vegetation area since 1973 were done and shown how development of Can Gio Mangrove before and after the replantation and up to now. Moreover, the hydrodynamics modelings can prove that hydrodynamics have influenced on the growth of mangrove trees along the coasts and river. Especially, the field experiment for the contribution of river tidal flows to the rehabilitation of mangrove trees after the Durian tropical cyclone in 2006 was done. The results show that thanks to tidal and river dynamics, the seeds of mangroves can be distributed freely and makes the diversity of mangrove species along the coasts and rivers. Wave is the main factor for bank erosion and the deaths for coastal mangrove trees. River flows make the meandering rivers combining with erosion and accumulation processes.