By: Paige Harris, Alex Day, and Gabi Goodrich Mangrove Trees By: Paige Harris, Alex Day, and Gabi Goodrich

What is a Mangrove? A mangrove is a plant and mangal is a plant community and habitat where mangroves thrive. They are found in tropical and sub-tropical tidal areas, and as such have a high degree of salinity. Areas where mangals occur include estuaries and marine shorelines.

Mangroves around the world Tend to appear in a tropical climate

Mangrove trees grow where no tree has ever grown before. They have to deal with swollen rivers carrying silt during the wet season, as well as violent storms that hit the coasts.

Mangrove Trees Salt solution Root of the matter Tough toddlers Water water everywhere, not a drop to drink

Salt Solution All mangrove trees exclude some salt at the root level They can handle more salt than any other plant some have more effective ultra-filtration at the root level to exclude more salt. They get rid of some stored salt by shedding from their leaves They need some freshwater every once in a while or else they will die

Root of the matter Mangrove roots not only provide support in unstable soils and to withstand currents and storms, but also breathe air. They develop breathing roots to avoid suffocation Aerial trees have little pores called lenticels which allow only air to come through, not water or salt

Tough toddlers The tip breaks of the adult after it is ready to be on its own It then floats in the water for a few weeks When it reaches land it sprouts roots into the ground to hold it up Young trees can survive underwater for up to 2 years During this time they depend on the air in their roots

Water water everywhere, not a drop to drink Mangrove trees need just as much water as desert tress do Mangrove trees have many of the same water storing features as desert trees do To minimize water loss they have thick, waxy leaves or hairy leaves

Role in Habitat Refuge Food Natural Water Filter Stabilize the coast and river banks

Refuge The roots of the tree provide a surface for tiny creatures to hide from predators. Tiny fish hide in the tangle of the roots to hide from larger fish

Food The tree’s leaves are used as food for other little creatures When the leaves fall of they provide nutrients for the water around the mangroves and for the coral reefs The leaves are broken down into tiny particles by crabs then used as useful minerals

Natural Water Filter Under the water, numerous filter feeders-barnacles, shellfish, and sponges are attached to the tangle roots The filter feeders free the water of silt and nutrients Clean water then washes out to sea helping the coral reef ecosystem flourish

Stabilize the coast and river banks Their roots help prevent sand and mud wash away with the tide and river currents As mud builds up and soil conditions improve, more plants can take root

Types of Mangroves Red Mangrove White Mangrove Black Mangrove

Red Mangrove Rhizophora Mangle

Red Mangroves… Continued “Red mangroves can be found from Daytona Beach and Cedar Key southward. They grow closer to the water than the other mangroves and are usually flooded at high tide. Red mangroves can root on intertidal surfaces such as oyster beds and sand bars forming "mangrove islands". They are easily identified by the tall arching roots, called prop-roots, originating from trunks and branches. These roots are adapted to supply air to the underground roots, as well as adding to the stability of the trees.” In Florida, red mangroves are shrubs or small trees, averaging 20 feet in height

White Mangrove Laguncularia Racemosa They are fast growing “White mangroves range from Volusia County and Levy County southward. They are easily differentiated from other mangroves by succulent leaves which are rounded at the base and tip and smooth underneath. Two glands at the base of each leaf excrete sugar and are called nectaries. Some insects feed on the sugar. The fruit is small, dry, leathery and ribbed. It contains a dark red seed, and is buoyant allowing it to float to new growing sites.”

Black Mangrove Avicennia Germinans “Black mangroves grow closer to the shore where they are reached only by high tides. At the northern edge of their range, St. Augustine and Cedar Key, these trees are small and shrub-like. Larger trees up to 50 feet tall with a branch spread of 35 feet have been located further south around Sanibel-Captiva Islands.Black mangroves can be easily identified by the numerous pencil-like breathing tubes, called pneumatophores, which grow vertically from the mud to just above the highest sustained water level. Like the prop roots of the red mangrove, these provide air to the underground and underwater roots.”