Miththapala, Sriyanie

Seagrass meadows and sand dunes are lesser known coastal ecosystems that are located landward from coral reefs and sometimes seaward from mangroves. (At other times mangroves lie between seagrasses and sand dunes.) These ecosystems are also important for coastal communities because of the services they provide and are critical components of a vital, interdependent and interconnected series of coastal ecosystems.

Corals are a vital component of marine ecosystems. They provide food and protection for a huge variety of fish and marine life; are crucial to sustaining livelihoods among coastal populations; and a key mechanism for ensuring the protection of low-lying coastal areas. Despite their importance, the world’s coral reefs are being destroyed and disappearing at an alarming rate.

Mangroves are among the most important ecosystems on the planet. They provide food and protection for a huge variety of marine and land-based species, sustain livelihoods of coastal populations, and provide protection from ocean swell and extreme weather events. Today, however, the world’s mangroves are under threat from several sources including coastal development and the impacts of climate change.

Wild plant species are used for medicine in most countries of the world. A recent survey conducted by members of the Medicinal Plant Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission suggests that 72,000 species of higher plants are used medicinally worldwide, approximately 17% of the world’s higher plant flora.