What are mangroves?
Mangroves are one of Florida’s true natives. They thrive in salty environments because they are able to obtain fresh water from saltwater. Some secrete excess salt through their leaves, others block absorption of salt at their roots. Florida’s estimated 469,000 acres of mangrove forests contribute to the overall health of the state’s southern coastal zone. This ecosystem traps and cycles various organic materials, chemical elements, and important nutrients. Mangrove roots act not only as physical traps but provide attachment surfaces for various marine organisms. Many of these attached organisms filter water through their bodies and, in turn, trap and cycle nutrients. The relationship between mangroves and their associated marine life cannot be overemphasized. Mangroves provide protected nursery areas for fishes, crustaceans, and shellfish. They also provide food for a multitude of marine species such as snook, snapper, tarpon, jack, sheepshead, red drum, oyster, and shrimp.
Mangroves also referred as ‘walking trees’ are the true natives of Florida. Unlike other trees mangrove population grown in water, particularly salty water. They have unique ability to obtain fresh water from salty waters. Some species can secrete excess salt from their leaves, whereas others just block salt-absorptions at the root level.
Most people consider mangrove communities to be swamps, but the term mangrove refers to an intertidal wetland ecosystem formed by the association of plants and animals which thrive in low lying coasts, river estuaries, deltas, backwaters and lagoons throughout low-lying tropical and sub-tropical latitudes. The term mangrove is also used to designate halophytic (salt living) and salt resistant marine forests comprising of trees, shrubs, palms, epiphytes, ground ferns and grasses, which are associated in stands or fringes. Red Mangrove Shoreline Mangroves are a highly productive ecosystem with important economic and environmental functions. In the wild, mangrove stands serve as protection for fish, crabs, oysters, lobsters and shrimp. Their roots provide attachment surfaces for marine organisms such as colorful sponges and oysters. Mangrove forests filter out pollution, stabilize sediments, hold nutrients, protect the shoreline from erosion and provide food, nesting and nursery areas for
