Vegetated intertidal mudflat and existing ecological restoration perspectives to control coastal erosion: Constraints and recommendations

Until now, two fundamental questions remain unclear: 1) to what extent the characteristics of the mangrove-mud coast have been integrated into developing current coastal erosion, and 2) how a vegetated intertidal mudflat or coastal area evolves. This understanding is important because we are encouraged to learn as much as possible from nature to develop solutions that protect the environment effectively and cost-efficiently. Meanwhile, existing ecological restoration perspectives, including mangrove planting (MP) and the morphological and topographic restoration of eroding mangrove-mud coastal areas (MTRA), have produced conflicting reports regarding their effectiveness in controlling coastal erosion. This study aims to summarize the morphological evolution of a vegetated intertidal mudflat or coastal area, as well as the factors contributing to this evolution. This summary will serve as a technical reference for future coastal erosion control efforts. I conducted a critical literature review using four main databases: ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Web of Science, and the MDPI data source, in conjunction with field investigations in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. The analysis of sixty-four relevant articles, along with detailed field observations from four sites, culminated in a summary of the morphological evolution of a vegetated intertidal mudflat or coastal area, as well as the driving factors influencing this evolution. The findings also indicate that we have not adequately learned from the characteristics of a vegetated intertidal mudflat or coastal area when developing current ecological restoration perspectives. Furthermore, the use of MP is unnecessary, particularly in stress-free coastal environments. Additionally, the processes of substrate development have not been sufficiently considered in the design and implementation of the MTRA methods.