Many people associate mangroves with smelly, swamp-like, mosquito and midge ridden parts of our rivers and oceans that are best avoided. But if we take a closer look we can learn the important part they play in our ecosystem.
Mangroves act as a nursery to fish, birds, crabs, and molluscs and provide food for all of them. They also protect the shore from erosion and maintain the water quality.
There are around 80 different species of mangrove trees worldwide, and in our local area we have the grey mangrove-(Avicennia Marina) and the river mangrove-(Aegiceras Corniculatum).
Mangroves thrive in conditions that would instantly kill other plants. Twice a day the tides wet their feet and their roots are anchored in swampy mud that is low in oxygen. They only grow in tropical or subtropical latitudes near the equator, because they cannot tolerate freezing temperatures.
Perhaps the most fascinating thing about them is the way they move the salt from the seawater into its leaves causing them to yellow and drop off. They can also rid the salt through their bark or their root system (even making the water around the root system drinkable) depending on the type of mangrove it is.
Above are examples of the salt deposits from mangroves in our local area. People have tried to replicate desalination the way that nature does with some success, but never as efficiently as what nature does day in and day out, without causing any pollution or costing any money.
The photo above shows how the use of boardwalks allow you to enjoy viewing the wildlife in the mangroves without causing any damage.
Like everything else the human race has managed to threaten these unique habitats with the use of off road vehicles, dumping of rubbish and waste, oil spills and toxic chemicals, being trampled on by humans and cattle, and climate change and sea level rise.
Each one of us can help play our part to protect our local mangroves.
Photos and content by white.tiger
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They are very beautiful.
Those salt deposits on the leaves is really interesting. Have you tried cutting one open?
No, but I wondered if it would taste salty. Maybe you could look at one under your microscope.
I wouldn't mind hehehe I just did a post on salt and sugar
Love this post! Growing up on the west coast of Florida it was a constant battle between environmentalists and those trying to destroy the mangroves that are home to so many species and protect us from storms, erosion, ext... just for their own personal gain. People need to be more mangrove aware as well as reef conscious if we plan to survive the test of time. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for your comment, you are so right. Its sad that so many people are driven by greed.