As a child, Mário Soares ventured into a mangrove in the Guaratiba neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro for the first time. Throughout his life’s journey, this place remained with him. After graduating in oceanography and conducting research on a mangrove crab species in Sepetiba Bay, Soares decided to shift his focus to ecosystem ecology. During his doctoral studies at the University of São Paulo, he returned to Guaratiba to study the mangroves of the region and later served as the chief of the Guaratiba Biological Reserve. Today, with more than 30 years of experience studying mangroves, Soares is a professor in the Department of Biological Oceanography at Rio de Janeiro State University and leads the Mangrove Studies Center (NEMA). Here, he has conducted pioneering research in Brazil on the impacts of climate change on mangroves and their role in carbon sequestration. Through NEMA, he adopts a transdisciplinary approach to mangrove research, collaborating with fields such as chemical oceanography, geography, political science and anthropology. As a result, he engages in applied science, working closely with environmental managers, and over the past 15 years, he has also delved into socioenvironmental conflicts in diverse contexts across Brazil. With more than 30 years of experience studying mangroves, Mário Soares is a professor in the Department of Biological Oceanography at Rio de Janeiro State University and leads the Mangrove Studies Center (NEMA). Image courtesy of the Mangrove Studies Center Collection – NEMA/UERJ. Soares recently talked with Mongabay in a video call. The following interview has…This article was originally published on Mongabay
The post ‘It is indeed our problem’: Interview with Mário Soares on Brazil’s mangroves first appeared on EnviroLink Network.