Mangrove forests are formed by a variety of trees and shrubs that have numerous adaptations to live in the challenging—part marine, part terrestrial—environment of the intertidal zone.
The mangrove community as a whole consists of the plants of soft and swampy mud, mostly trees and shrubs, with broad, leathery, evergreen leaves. There are about 80 different species of mangrove trees. All of these trees grow in areas with low-oxygen soil, where slow-moving waters allow fine sediments to accumulate.
In some tree roots from the main stem and branches grow vertically down and provide additional support like stilts in an unstable, slippery substratum.
Mangrove forest is one of the few pristine ecosystems in the world, and it offers a large number of ecological, economic, and protective functions and services.
Mangroves are also among the most carbon-rich forests in the tropics. They are the largest reservoir of world’s blue carbon, which is defined as the organic carbon stored, sequestered, and released from coastal and marine ecosystems.
Mangroves are best developed on tropical shorelines where there are large areas available between high and low tide points. Large mangrove formations are typically found in sheltered muddy shorelines that are often associated with the formation of deltas at the mouth of a riverine system.
Since they are located where sea meets land, mangroves can reduce flooding and act as natural defenses from waves and wind. They also act as permeable dams, dampening storm surges and reducing damage.
Mangrove forest
