A bioinspired hybrid nature-based solution using artificial mangrove roots to enhance coastal resilience and mangrove...

Global mangrove restoration efforts often face high failure rates due to unsuitable site conditions and ineffective techniques. Despite strong initiatives, replanting mangroves without additional intervention remains highly challenging. The Artificial Mangrove Root (AMR) system considered here is a novel, removable, hybrid nature-based solution bioinspired by the sediment-trapping and wave-dissipating functions of natural mangrove roots. This study evaluates the effectiveness of one of the first large-scale AMR installation implemented to enhance mangrove rehabilitation along a 1.2-km stretch of coastline covering approximately 20 ha at the Bang Pu Recreation Center in the Eastern Chao Phraya Delta, Thailand. Shoreline change analysis (1954-2024) was used to assess the outcomes of long-term mangrove rehabilitation while UAV-LiDAR surveys, comprising point clouds with an average density of 350 points/m² and vertical accuracy better than ±3 cm, conducted over a 20-month period quantified seabed elevation changes induced by AMR installation. The results show that AMRs effectively trapped sediment, increasing seabed elevation by up to 40 cm while reaching an equilibrium within one year. With the current configuration, approximately 4 ha of new substrate reached elevations favorable for mangrove replantation, where field observations confirmed early seedling survival. As a pilot study, these findings provide quantitative, high-resolution evidence of the AMR's capacity to create favorable biophysical conditions for mangrove establishment. However, broader generalizations require long-term, multi-site monitoring and integration with ecological parameters such as soil properties, carbon sequestration, and seedling dynamics. By supporting mangrove recovery, AMRs offer a scalable, adaptive approach contributing to sustainable coastal management and global development goals.