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Many plants in freshwater swamp forests have special adaptations to cope with waterlogged soils, such as pneumatophores (aerial roots) in mangroves for oxygen exchange. [ 23 ] [ 24 ] Some animals have adapted to life in these wet environments, like amphibians with permeable skin that can absorb oxygen from water.
The seasonally flooded Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests lie inland from the mangrove forests on the coastal fringe. The forest covers 10,000 km 2 (3,900 sq mi) of which about 6,000 km 2 (2,300 sq mi) are in Bangladesh.
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 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 ...
The most extensive swamp forests are in the basin of the Fly River. [5] The Southern New Guinea lowland rain forests and Vogelkop-Aru lowland rain forests ecoregions occupy the adjacent lowlands. Near the coast the freshwater swamp forests transition to New Guinea mangroves as the waters become brackish or salt.
However, this expansion inland is often at the expense of freshwater marsh/swamp habitats. As climate change continues, this could potentially negatively affect wildlife resources that depend upon freshwater habitats over mangrove habitats, such as the Everglades . [ 8 ]
Unlike other Bengal tigers, those in the Sundarban region hunt in the swampy water of the mangrove forests. They have adapted to their habitat, swimming between islands to locate prey.
The swamp forest reaches 7–15 meters in height, but the tall trees tend to be spaced out with floating aquatic vegetation in between. Characteristic trees in this swamp forest are Barringtonia acutangula (sometimes called the 'freshwater mangrove') and Diospyros camboniana.