Mangrove Forests - Protecting Coastal Biodiversity

Mangrove Forests Protecting Coastal Biodiversity

By Amita Vadlamudi

Amita Vadlamudi has extensive experience in computer systems engineering in support of Unix systems. With an active interest in the natural world, Amita Vadlamudi enjoys learning about oceanic environments and marine biology. One of the most distinctive coastal ecosystems centers around the mangrove, a tree that flourishes in tropical and subtropical intertidal zones that are often inundated by salt water. Mangrove forests span five continents and are found extensively in Florida’s swampy waterways.

Featuring extensive root systems, mangroves shelter an incredible biodiversity, with their roots offering nourishment to fish, shellfish, plankton, and algae. A large number of commercially fished aquatic species shelter in the mangrove forests as they develop into adults. The forests are also home to land species such as monkeys and a variety of birds. Mangroves play an important role in sheltering coastal areas from the power of tsunamis, floods, and hurricanes. Through leaving these complex ecosystems intact, communities are able to prevent erosion and protect lives.