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Mangroves are hardy shrubs and trees that thrive in salt water and have specialised adaptations so they can survive the volatile energies of intertidal zones along marine coasts. A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline or brackish water. Mangroves grow in an equatorial climate, typically along coastlines and tidal ...
Mangrove plants require a number of physiological adaptations to overcome the problems of low environmental oxygen levels, high salinity, and frequent tidal flooding.Each species has its own solutions to these problems; this may be the primary reason why, on some shorelines, mangrove tree species show distinct zonation.
A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal flat ecosystems are as extensive globally as mangroves, covering at least 127,921 km 2 (49,391 sq mi) of the Earth's surface. [3] They are found in sheltered areas such as bays , bayous , lagoons , and estuaries ; they are also seen in freshwater lakes and salty lakes (or inland seas ...
The main types of intertidal wetlands are mudflats (e.g., mangrove swamps) and salt marshes. The mangrove swamps are encountered along tropical shores and are characterized by tree vegetation, while salt marshes are mostly found in temperate zones and are mostly grass ecosystems. [1] Intertidal wetlands are commonly encountered in most estuaries.
Mangroves are often found near or around salt ponds because of their ability to exist in an ecosystem with high salinity, low dissolved oxygen levels, brackish water, and extreme temperatures. Mangroves’ unique prop roots function as a barrier to the salt water, limiting water loss, and acting as a snorkel for oxygen and nutrients.
Mangroves and seagrasses are critical in regulating sediment, freshwater, and nutrient flows to coral reefs. [136] The diagram immediately below shows locations where mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds exist within one km of each other. Buffered intersection between the three systems provides relative co-occurrence rates on a global scale.
They can live in freshwater habitats but prefer brackish and saltwater when possible. Morelet’s crocodile, in contrast, is smaller, typically growing up to 10 feet long with a shorter snout ...
[37] [38] There are many mangrove species, not all closely related. The term "mangrove" is used generally to cover all of these species, and it can be used narrowly to cover just mangrove trees of the genus Rhizophora. Mangroves form a distinct characteristic saline woodland or shrubland habitat, called a mangrove swamp or mangrove forest. [39]