Mangroves are species of trees that live in tidal salt and brackish waters. They are typically found on the shorelines of the tropics and sub-tropics, but some species grow in cooler, temperate areas too. Mangrove forests are very ecologically important. They provide food, nursery sites and breeding grounds for all sorts of animals including insects, crustaceans, birds and of course, fish – over 3000 species of fish rely on mangroves for at least part of their lifecycle!
Like all trees, they, importantly, take carbon out of the atmosphere and are 3 to 5 times more effective at doing this than a tropical rainforest. And they protect shorelines from erosion and offer protection from things like storm surges, tsunamis and cylones, or hurricanes.
Sadly, mangroves are being lost at an alarming rate, making way for human development and it is estimated that 35% of the world’s mangrove forests have disappeared in the last 20 years. Find out more about how important mangroves are here.
Video credit: Next Generation Science
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