Journal of Microbial Ecology and Function

Review

Ecological Adaptations, Functional Traits, and Biotechnological Potential of Mangrove-Associated Fungi for Sustainable Materials under Climate Change

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https://doi.org/10.54963/jmef.v1i1.2346
Volume 1 Issue 1 (2025)

Authors

  • Juliana Britto Martins de Oliveira

    Laboratório de Biofísica de Fungos, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil

Received: 9 August 2025; Revised: 23 October 2025; Accepted: 24 November 2025; Published: 17 December 2025

Mangrove ecosystems are known for carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, and coastal protection, and they host diverse fungal communities shaped by salinity, tides, hypoxia, and physicochemical gradients. Mangrove-associated fungi are often cited as sources of enzymes, biopolymers, biosurfactants, and bioactive metabolites, yet proposed applications frequently overlook ecological, physiological, and molecular constraints outside native habitats. This review critically examines when mangrove fungal adaptations translate into industrially relevant traits. We synthesize evidence on taxonomic diversity, lignocellulose degradation, symbioses, and stress responses, while noting methodological biases, limited omics characterization, and overgeneralization of fungal “uniqueness.” We evaluate their potential as biofactories for green materials in bioremediation, waste valorization, mycelium biocomposites, and circular bioeconomy models, emphasizing the gap between proof of concept and scalable bioprocesses. We also assess how climate change stressors warming, sea level rise, and salinity shifts may restructure communities, influencing ecosystem functions and trait reliability. Integrating microbial ecology, systems biology, materials science, and environmental governance, we identify gaps in functional validation, strain domestication, reproducibility, scalability, and regulation. The promise of mangrove fungi depends on advancing from description to mechanistic understanding and responsible innovation aligned with conservation in a changing climate.

Keywords:

Mangrove-Associated Fungi Sustainable Biomaterials Fungal Biofactories Biopolymers Circular Bioeconomy Climate Change Impacts

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