Download THE IMPORTANCE OF MANGROVES

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.