Monitoring the Mangrove Colonization on the Uplifted Reef Beds in the North Andaman Island, India

The coastal uplift post 2004 tsunami has altered tidal regimes in North Andaman and created new intertidal at erstwhile reef beds suitable for mangrove succession. We documented the mangrove colonization pattern for three consecutive years (2021–2023) at one such site where the uplifted reef beds have formed an isolated island intertidal island. A total of 127 individuals were colonized in 2021, which increased by 21% in 2022 (n = 154) and by 40% in 2023 (n = 215). The rate of colonization also increased from 5 to 12 individuals/ha/year (2022–2023). These naturally created experimental sites offer a unique opportunity to understand mangrove succession and recovery post-disturbances.