Mangroves

Mangroves are any of the many genera of trees and shrubs that are capable of living and growing in salt water or salty soils. They often includes the rich biological community that is supported by the mangrove forests or fringing strips of mangrove.

Mangroves are part of salt-tolerant forest ecosystems found mainly in tropical and sub-tropical inter-tidal regions of the world. They have the common trait of growing in shallow and muddy salt water or brackish waters, especially along quiet shorelines and in estuaries. They exhibit remarkable capacity for salt water tolerance. Typically they produce tangled masses of arching roots that are exposed during low tides. Some mangrove roots extend above the water in the form of specialized vertical branches, called pneumatophores, which act as aerating organs and therefore are also known as respiratory roots. Among mangroves, there are some that prefers a daily tidal wash while others find their optimum conditions in shallow areas subject to occasional high tides. This process governs their distribution. Mangroves do not appear on sandy beaches and rocky shores. A muddy substratum of varying depth and consistency is necessary for their growth. They are rarely found near the open sea or mouth of an estuary, but abundantly found in sheltered places like creeks and estuaries. The eco-system is highly fragile, subjected to long duration of intrusion as well as incessant physiological and morphological stresses, salinity effect, aeration and onslaught of wave action.

Mangroves are practically evergreen with thick leathery leaves designed to minimize transpiration. Root system is adapted to the peculiar conditions found in the mangrove forests such as still root in Rhizophora and knee roots in Bruguiera. Pneumatophores (breathing roots) are sent in profusion in Sonneratia and Avicennia. Viviparous germination is one of its salient features - the seed germinates while still on the tree and falls down in the germinating condition with a long radicle- characteristic of Rhizophoraceae.

Nearby pages
Manhattan, Mani, Mani Ganguly, Manichaeism, Manifesto, Manihari