MANGROVE FORESTS
Mangroves are a special type of rain forest that line one quarter of the world’s tropical coastlines. The 55 different types of mangrove cover an area of approximately 2,400 square kilometers.
The trees are readily identifiable because of their bell-shaped root system that lifts the trunk above the mud and water. These ‘breathing’ roots enable mangroves to survive in areas of very salty water, for example in swamps.
Mangrove forests give coastlines vital protection from the destructive effects of storm- force winds and waves. They also provide a sheltered environment and the clean, silt-free water that thousands of aquatic species need to breed in. More than 2,000 species of fish and invertebrates (for example, shrimps) are believed to use mangroves as spawning grounds.
Mangroves provide important resources for people who live along tropical coasts. These forests have been shown to be as productive as farmlands, providing shellfish, shrimps, crabs, fish and firewood for millions of people around the world.
