MANGROVE ECOSYSTEMS
What are Mangroves?
• Mangroves are plants
that grow in tidal areas.
• Can be a single plant or
it can refer to a whole
community of plants.
• They are halophytes
(‘salt-loving”). Most
plants can not survive in
salty conditions.
Requirements for development
• Tropical temperatures
• Fine-grained alluvium
(silt, clay, and sand)
• Protected shorelines
• Saltwater
• Large tidal range
Walsh (1974)
Requirements for development
Large tidal range
Where Do Mangroves Grow?
• Mangroves grow
only in the tropics
and subtropics.
• Do not tolerate cold
temperatures.
Global Mangrove Distribution
30 oN
30 oS
mangrove ecosystems are widely distributed in the
tropical and subtropics coastal regions
Where Do Mangroves Grow?
• grow best in sheltered areas
with low wave energies
High wave energies destroy:
-shallow root systems,
-prevent the seedling
establishment,
-and the build-up of fine
sediments needed for growth.
Global Mangrove Distribution & Diversity
Mangrove Species Zonation
Bruguiera
zone
Ceriops
zone Rhizophora
zone Avicennia/
Sonneratia
zone
All increase toward shore
Salinity
Inundation
Decreasing Soil Stability
Sedimentation Rate
Mangrove Adaptations
• All mangrove plants have
special adaptations that
allow them to survive in
their salty environment.
– Their unusual root
systems give them
support and stability in
the loose soil.
– There is little oxygen
present in these soils
and prop roots and
pneumatophores allow
them to get oxygen from
the air.
The Structure of Mangrove
Root formation
1. Stilt roots (akar jangkang)
• Strong root
• Arch-shaped
• Optimal stability
• Example - Rhizophora
Root formation
2. Aerial (Prop) roots (akar
udara)
• Few cm in diameter
• Smoot roots growing
downwards from large
branches
• Additional support
• Example – Rhizophora,
Avicennia, Acanthus
Root formation
3. Respiratory roots
(Pneumatophores) (akar
pernafasan)
• Upward extensions
• Respiratory function
• Example – Avicennia,
Sonneratia, Laguncularia
Root formation
4. Cable roots (akar kabel)
• smooth
• Plank-shape
• Partly above, partly
below ground
• Example – Xylocarpus,
Heritiera
Root formation
5. Knee roots (akar lutut)
• Forming pronounced
upward loops before
horizontal growth
continues
• Respiratory function
• Example – Bruguiera,
Ceriops
Bruguiera gymnorhiza
Root formation
6. Buttress roots (akar banir)
• Expanding at the parts
connecting with the trunk
base into flattened and
plank-like
• Support structure
• Example – Heritiera
Root formation
7. Creeping roots (akar
menjalar)
• Growing protrusions at
the lower parts of the
main stem
• Growing horizontally just
below surface
• Example – Nypa
Diversity in Tolerating High Salinity
3 Mechanisms
1. Concentrate salt in
leaves (yellow)
• Leaves/bark
(translocation)
Avicennia marina
Diversity in Tolerating High Salinity
2. Filter out at root level 3. Salt crystals on leaves
• Rhizophora, Ceriops, • Aegiceras corniculatum
Bruguiera, Osbornia
Many mangrove species survive
by filtering out as much as 90
percent of the salt found in
seawater as it enters their roots
Why are mangroves
important?
• Mangrove plants form a unique ecosystem.
• Consists of living organisms and non-living
factors.
• Essential to the first link in the food chain.
-When their leaves fall into the water and are
decomposed by bacteria, many valuable
nutrients are released that are essential to the
growth of plankton. Plankton are the producers
of the oceanic ecosystems.
Why are mangroves
important?
• The leaf detritus
also provides food
for animals such as
worms,
snails,mussels,
oysters,shrimp.
Besides being an extremely productive
ecosystem mangroves also……..
• Act as a buffer against
the high winds and
eroding waves of
storms.
• The mangroves trap
sediments and prevent
them from building up
further out to sea,
which damages other
ecosystems, such as
coral reefs and sea
grasses.
Besides being an extremely productive
ecosystem mangroves also……..
• Mangroves can filter
out pollutants like
nitrates, phosphates
and petroleum-
based products that
are present in run-
off.
• The microbes in the
sediment break the
pollutants down.
Man, and mangroves
• Mangrove communities
have been significantly
reduced as coastal
areas have become
more developed.
Man, and mangroves
• Dredging floods
mangroves. This
submerges the air-
breathing roots, and
it can not get
enough oxygen and
nutrients.
Man, and mangroves
• Although mangroves
filter some
pollutants, they can
be damaged by oil
spills and herbicides
in particular.
Mangroves around the
world
• It is estimated that the
world has lost 20% of
its mangrove forests
since 1980.
• This could have
alarming effects on
biodiversity, due to
loss of habitat.
Mangroves around the
world
• Loss of mangroves could
also severely impact
economies that rely on
tourism and fisheries.
• Without a barrier of
mangroves low lying
countries (Bangladesh), are
more susceptible to
flooding (increase of sea
surface height) and
devastation by
cyclones/hurricanes.
Present status of
Mangroves
• Although mangroves
are decreasing the rate
is slowing down as
more countries pass
laws to protect them.
• More projects to replant
mangroves are
underway around the
world, but there is still a
long way to go before
this ecosystem is
protected.
