What Is a Mangrove?

A mangrove commonly refers to two different things: a tidal swamp

ecosystem found in tropical deltas, estuaries, lagoons or islands, and the
characteristic tree species populating this ecosystem. Mangrove trees
have developed unique adaptations to the harsh conditions of coastal
environments. They survive high amounts of salinity either by excreting
salt through their leaves, or simply by safely keeping it within their tissues.
Their root systems are shallow and partly exposed to the air, which allows
them to breathe in an environment thats frequently flooded and low in
oxygen. Mangrove swamps are unique ecological communities that link
freshwater and oceanic ecosystems and host a rich diversity of animal
species.
Because of their sensitivity to the cold, mangroves are restricted to the
tropics and subtropics. They are primarily found in two areas: the Indo
West Pacific (58 species), and the Atlantic East Pacific (12 species) along
coastlines of Central America and Mexico. EcoLogic focuses its work in
this region, which is home to the red mangrove, the black mangrove, the
white mangrove and the buttonwood, and is making great strides in terms
of sustainability. For example, EcoLogic partners with local fishing villages
in the Sarstn river region of Belize and Guatemala to implement positive
changes in waste management, water source protection and reforestation.
Biology of mangrove ecosystems
Mangrove forests are an ecosystem of incredible biological diversity
comprising hundreds of algae, mollusk, crustacean, fish, insect, reptile,
bird, and mammal species. Saltwater crocodiles, pelicans, egrets, spoonbills,
flying foxes and monkeys are all residents of mangroves, just to name a
few. The trees intricate network of roots provides a shelter for many
oceanic and freshwater species, and the forest is a food source for many
types of organisms as well. While certain species spend their entire life
span in this ecosystem, numerous fish species use the shelter of the
mangrove as a nursing ground before heading to the open ocean, to the
extent that one third of all marine species were born and raised in
mangrove forests around the world. As a result, the mangroves well being
is central to the health of many more ecosystems.
Human uses
The diverse products and services generated by mangroves have
traditional as well as commercial uses. The most direct product of a
mangrove tree is its wood, which is used either as fuel or as a construction
material. Other parts of the tree are also harvested to manufacture corks
and floats, dyes, soap alternatives, synthetic fibers and cosmetics, and
even food in the form of fruit, honey, vinegar, salt, or cooking oil.
Furthermore, several mangrove species have significant medicinal
properties. In addition to this wealth of different uses, mangrove
ecosystems are well known for their important role in fisheries health. By
providing a safe nursing ground for a wide range of fish larvae, they
enhance the survival rate of these species in their early life stages.
Relevance to climate change

In addition to the
important biological functions they perform, mangroves also provide
crucial ecosystem services to people. Because of their high capacity to
recover from natural disasters, mangroves are particularly valuable in the
face of increasingly frequent and violent tropical storms and hurricanes.
By offering an obstacle to wind and waves, they significantly decrease the
intensity of the storm while reducing its human and material toll. For
example, a mangrove section of 30 trees per 0.01 hectare and with a width
of 100 m can reduce the destructive force of a tsunami by up to 90%.
Their roots also play in important role in trapping sediments and stabilizing
shorelines facing increased erosion pressures.
Besides their role in shoreline protection, mangroves constitute a valuable tool in the fight against
climate change. When a tree grows, it stores carbon in its biomass, thus decreasing the amount of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Mangroves perform this carbon storage mechanism particularly
well, as they can store up to five times more carbon than an equal area of rainforest. These efficient
carbon sinks are becoming increasingly relevant in the light of worsening climate change.
Threats to mangroves and solutions
Although very complex and resilient to natural disturbances, mangrove ecosystems worldwide are
endangered by human activity and are lost at a greater rate than inland tropical forests. Sea level rise
and sedimentation off-balance the delicate adaptations of a mangrove tree to its environment,
inhibiting its development or killing it off. Human-induced thermal, agrochemical, nutrient, heavy
metal and oil-spill pollution also seriously impact this fragile ecosystem while deforestation and
coastal development are one of its largest threats. Particularly, development pressures caused by a
growing population and intensified shrimp farming activities cause large amounts of mangrove
destruction.
It is crucial that steps be taken to conserve ecosystems of such biological and climate change
mitigation value, and there are several ways to stop the global decline of mangrove forests.
Governments can put policies and regulations in place to halt deforestation and promote the
conservation and restoration of mangroves. Also, mangroves can be included in market-based
mechanisms such as REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest
Degradation) so that they can be used as a source of credits for global carbon markets.

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