Not many plants on earth are as remarkable and versatile as the mangroves, with their ability to survive in salt and fresh water and their storage of blue carbon. The mangroves plant their roots in soil that provides little oxygen, yet the plant can pull out the oxygen vital to their survival. Mangroves are classified as woody trees or shrubs. Mangroves live in intertidal zones between land and sea and tropical and subtropical zones. They survive harsh environments using adaption mechanisms such as selective transport and uptake of ions, salt influx accommodations, osmoregulation, and ion compartmentalization (Wijayasinghe et al., 2019).
Some species of mangroves have created a barrier that prevents salt from entering their vascular system by using osmoregulation. The leaves store salt on their leaves while evaporating the water. Mangrove roots stay close to the soil's surface in a cable root system pulling out much-needed oxygen (Ocean Find Your Blue, n.d.).
Preserving mangroves is vital to protect coastal areas against tsunamis, storm waves, and abrasion. Mangroves also support marine and bird life (Prihastanti and Haryanti, 2022). Mangroves support many sea creatures, such as anemones, barnacles, snails, sponges, and oysters. They are considered a nursery to provide food and safety for developing sea life before it matures and moves into the ocean (Ocean Find Your Blue, n.d.).
Lahjie et al. (2019) claim that mangrove ecosystems are the most vital worldwide. They recycle and conserve soil through sediment trapping, creating a great source of wood and seafood for local economies. It is predicted that we will lose mangroves over the next 100 years as economic development continues. Losing mangrove forests will harm the ecosystem, sociocultural, and economic culture, along with future research benefits (Lahjie et al., 2019). Conservation is a must.
Most plants cannot survive the hot, salty conditions that mangroves thrive in. They have incredible systems of adaptation and support and protect life, thus making them the superhero of the ecosystem.
References:
Lahjie, A.M., Nouval, B., Lahjie, A. A., Ruslim, Y., & Kristiningrum, R. (2019). Economic valuation from direct use of mangrove forest restoration in Balikpapan Bay, East Kalimantan, Indonesia F1000 Research, 8, 9–9. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.17012.2
Ocean Find Your Blue. (n.d.) Mangroves. Ocean Find Your Blue. Retrieved on December 14, 2020 from https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/plants-algae/mangroves
Prihastanti, E., & Haryanti, S. (2022). Response to growth of mangrove seeds with additional extract of natural materials and vitamin b1 in the planting medium. IOP Conference Series. Earth and Environmental Science, 1095(1), 012030–. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1095/1/012030
Wijayasinghe, M.M., Gehan Jayasuriya, K. M. G., Gunatilleke, C. V. S., Gunatilleke, I. A. U. N., & Walck, J. L. (2019). Effect of salinity on seed germination of five mangroves from Sri Lanka: use of hydrotime modelling for mangrove germination. Seed Science Research, 29(1), 55–63. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0960258518000405
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We Need Mangroves
by Stephanie Daich
