THE IMPORTANCE OF MANGROVES

MANGROVES ARE ONE TYPE OF ESTUARY. ESTUARIES ARE WHERE FRESH WATER AND SALTWATER MIX. SALT MARSH IS AN ESTUARY MAINLY OF GRASSES. SWAMP IS AN ESTUARY MAINLY OF TREES.

1. THEY ARE A HUGE “CARBON SINK”. A CARBON SINK TAKES CARBON DIOXIDE FROM THE AIR AND RELEASES OXYGEN INTO THE AIR. ITS NUTRIENTS ALL HAVE CARBON IN THEM.

2. THEY ARE NURSERIES. THERE IS PLENTY OF FOOD STARTING WITH DETRITUS. DETRITUS IS DECOMPOSED ORGANIC MATTER. THERE ARE PLENTY OF HIDING PLACES.

3. THEY IMPROVE WATER QUALITY. THERE ARE LESS COLOFORMS (BACTERIA FROM SEWAGE) IN THE WATER BY MANGROVES AS COMPARED TO THE SAME WATER BY SEAWALLS OR DEVELOPED SHORELINES.

4. THEY IMPROVE AIR QUALITY. CLEANS AIR OF POLLUTANTS PROVIDES AIR WITH MORE OXYGEN

5. THEY REDUCE EROSION. HOLDS SOIL AND SAND IN PLACE 2% OF WETLANDS CAN REDUCE RUNOFF BY 50%.

6. THEY ARE A PROTECTION FROM STORMS. BARRIER TO POWERFUL WAVES, HIGH TIDES, AND STORM SURGE ABSORBS THE FORCE OF STORMS

7. THEY REDUCE FLOODING. 10% OF THE SHORELINE AS WETLANDS CAN REDUCE FLOODING BY 90%

8. THEY PROVIDE A VARIETY OF WILDLIFE HABITATS. AQUATIC HABITATS BELOW THE WATER TERRESTRIAL HABITATS ON THE FOREST FLOOR PLUS MORE HABITATS IN THE FOREST CANOPY

9. THEY ATTRACT TOURISM. PEOPLE COME TO SEE THE ANIMALS. PEOPLE COME TO CATCH THE FISH. PEOPLE COME FOR THE GREAT SEAFOOD.

10. THEY ARE UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL.