FIELD STUDY ON SEDIMENT DEPOSITION POTENTIAL IN COASTAL MANGROVES OF CAN THO CITY

Abstract

    The study was conducted to assess the role of mangrove forests (MF) in reducing wave energy and sediment deposition in coastal areas. Instruments for measuring waves and collecting deposited sediment samples were installed at two locations, 50 m apart, inside and outside the forest edge as controls. At the instrumented locations, the MF structure was surveyed within standard plots (SP) of 100 m² (10 × 10 m) and described using manual measurement methods, in which tree height was measured with a 15 m measuring rod, root height and trunk diameter were measured with a 1 m tape, repeated three times for each SP. In addition, mangrove trunk diameter was measured at 1.3 m above ground. Ground elevation was determined manually using the water tube leveling method. The study results showed clear differences in forest structure and sediment deposition between the inside and edge of the forest. At a distance of 50 m from the forest edge, tree and root density were high, and wave energy decreased by 19–39%. Measurements and analysis of sediment mass indicated that sediment deposition inside the forest was 36.07% higher than at the forest edge. Correlation results also showed that forest structure was well correlated with sediment deposition within the forest through its wave attenuation function.