It’s Earth Day, so we’d like to talk about some of our favorite environmental engineers: Mangroves!
The term mangrove actually refers to over 70 species of trees and shrubs that share common characteristics: namely, the ability to live partially submerged in salt water. Mangroves live in tropical and sub-tropical intertidal zones around the world, lining shores with their recognizable prop roots.
Mangroves have a number of techniques for dealing with the high amounts of salt water in their habitats. Some species get rid of excess salt by excreting it through their leaves or filtering it as they absorb water. They also store more water than most plants, often utilizing thick, waxy-coated leaves that minimize evaporation. The pencil-like roots of some species even act like snorkels, allowing the plants to breathe during twice-daily tidal flooding.
Mangrove forests (or mangrove swamps) provide critical habitat and shoreline infrastructure in many coastal environments. Multiple species are specialized to live among them, such as the tree-climbing mangrove crab (Aratus pisonii) or the rare mangrove cuckoo (Coccyzus minor). When water levels are high enough, these forests also provide protective nursery grounds for young fish.
Mangroves are considered a keystone species due to their impressive skills of habitat creation, similar to coral reefs. They also stabilize coastal soils and dissipate wave energy, protecting coastlines during storms and high tides. This ability to create and conserve their own habitats makes them part of a group of species known as “ecosystem engineers,” a term that may also refer to species like termites, beavers and corals.
To our human environmental engineers, we’re sorry we called these our favorites… don’t get too salty about it!
Featured image (top): Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), Cruickshank Trail, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Brevard County, Florida, USA. Photo by Katja Schulz via Flickr.
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