BWB – Trees growing in the sea?

In todays BWB I want to present you one of the most fascinating ecosystems you can encounter at tropical coasts, mangrove forests. These are forests growing literally in the water. They can only do it as they have several adaptations to do so. For one and the most visible one are the special roots. Many Mangrove trees grow on stilt roots, which lift the tree out of the water and help them to intake oxygen. Other special roots are pneumatophores. These are vertical roots which stick out from the mud and water also helping to aerate. Many mangroves are able to excrete salt over the leaves which is needed to excrete the excessive salt they intake naturally. 

Mangroves are an important ecosystem for tropical shorelines. They trap sediments washed in for example by rivers and protect so the ocean from over sedimentation. Then the maze of roots of the trees are a perfect hiding ground for juvenile fish, which is why these forests are a nursery area for many fish, also those we like to eat. They are generally a place with rich biodiversity. The forests protect also the shores from erosions and are a natural barrier for hurricanes. They provide so many benefits for us humans, but still we still don’t recognise those and destroy mangrove forest worldwide, for shrimp farms, coastal resorts, towns, etc.

By Horst Schulte

Photo source: https://www.papuaparadise.com/news/the-mesmerizing-world-of-mangroves-in-raja-ampat/